Tag Archives: christie

Arresting Fun at Babbacombe Cliff Railway

Last Saturday saw Oddicombe Beach filled with amateur sleuths keen to work out who stole the stunning Babbacombe Dazzler diamond in Babbacombe Cliff Railway’s “Unusual Suspects” mystery.  Part of the Agatha Christie Festival, the event was a happy mix of puzzling and fun under a sunny sky on one of Torbay’s most picturesque beaches.  With clues, suspects to question and a friendly policeman to help as well as live music from the Babbacombe Ukulele Strummers and “High Society” jazz band, the day proved to be a real hit with locals and holidaymakers alike.

Nicky Allen, Cliff Railway Marketing Manager said “Everyone who came along seemed to really enjoy themselves and urged us to do another mystery event next year.  The plot was a family-friendly puzzler with enough complexity to keep serious sleuths entertained and over 500 people of all ages took part over the course of the afternoon.  Even Hercule Poirot turned up, to the delight of many of the amateur detectives who couldn’t wait to be photographed with him.”  She added “I would like to thank all the volunteers who came along and were a vital part of the day but particularly our suspects played by Bryan and June Batchelor, Judy Ayres, Paul Trainer and Bob Hawksley and our fantastic policeman, Arthur Christian.”

“The Unusual Suspects” mystery itself was written by Phil Allen, Nicky’s husband.  Phil said “I’m a web designer by trade and have worked with computers for many years.  But I’ve always fancied writing so when Nicky said she needed a story for the Agatha Christie Festival I thought I’d have a go.  Writing this event, I found my programmer’s logic helped enormously when it came to working out the sequence of events and who was where and when, but I also had great fun creating the interesting characters.  This is the second mystery we’ve done so this year I knew the cast a bit better and was able to create characters that I thought would suit them.  I can safely say they threw themselves into their parts with great gusto.  I couldn’t have asked for more.”

So, will there be another mystery next year?  Nicky says “We’d all love to do another mystery event but it’s down to Phil to see if he can come up with another story, a set of characters, back stories and all the clues – we’ll let you know.”

For those of you who went along on Saturday but were unable to stay until the big arrest at the end, dodgy Security Guard Virgil Antt turned out to be the culprit.  But, worry not, the diamond was recovered and is now safely on its way to Scotland Yard and Virgil is being dealt with!  There’s also a great photo gallery on line at the Cliff Railway’s Facebook page and more on the website www.babbacombecliffrailway.co.uk

Unusual Suspects at Babbacombe Cliff Railway

It’s 1926 and the world famous “Babbacombe Dazzler” diamond has been stolen from the Babbacombe Cliff Railway Visitor Centre on Oddicombe Beach.  Who took it and why?  There’s mystery and intrigue wherever you look at the Babbacombe Cliff Railway Agatha Christie Festival event on Saturday 21 September and all are invited to bring their detecting skills and work out whodunnit.

Nicky Allen, Marketing Manager of the Cliff Railway, says “We took part in our first Agatha Christie Festival last year and we got a great response.  Lots of people came along to solve the mystery and all those involved really enjoyed it.  This year we have another great mystery to solve and some very interesting characters for the public to come and question.  The action takes place between 12 noon and 4pm and we’ll have live music down on the beach all afternoon from great local jazz band “High Society” as well as the Babbacombe Ukulele Strummers putting in an appearance.  With plenty of clues to be found and a cast of 1920’s extras to help we hope that people will enjoy putting the pieces together and seeing if they can work out who stole the dazzling diamond.”

The event will finish at 4pm with the unmasking of the thief.  Nicky added “Our wonderful 1926 policeman, whom  I’m sure everyone will remember from last year’s event, will be on hand to  ensure that justice prevails.”

This event is completely free of charge to enjoy (usual Babbacombe Cliff Railway fares still apply).  So, if you’d like to meet “The Unusual Suspects” and get involved in a bit of crime-solving fun make sure you’re on Oddicombe Beach between noon and 4pm on Saturday 21 September.

For more details on this and all the other Festival events go to www.agathachristiefestival.co.uk

Plot foiled at Babbacombe Cliff Railway

Sunday 9 September saw Babbacombe Cliff Railway and Oddicombe Beach busy with people attempting to help foil a dastardly plot. For one day only visitors were transported back to 1926 when the Cliff Railway first opened and found there was a fictitious plot to murder a VIP at the opening event. In order to foil the plot visitors had to find clues and use their detective skills to solve the mystery. To help set the scene there was also live music and dancing all day with a number of characters in period costume.

John Ayres, Chairman of the Babbacombe Cliff Railway Community Interest Company which runs the railway, said “We had a lovely day. Our volunteers, including me, really enjoyed dressing up in their costumes and helping people with the clues.” Once visitors had come to a conclusion they had to find the patrolling 1920s policeman and report their findings. The mystery even attracted the attention of a very special visitor who came to lend a hand! John added “This event was part of the English Riviera Agatha Christie Festival and was a first for the Cliff Railway. Having an event within a larger festival was definitely helpful for us as it spread the word about our day far more widely than we would have been able to on our own and we very much hope to take part in the Festival in the future.”

The day was supported by a number of local people and groups who all played their part. John said “We were delighted with the way people got behind our event to help out. Lionel Digby kindly supplied the costumes for the policeman and railway guard, Datel sponsored some of the entertainment. We had some vintage cars brought along to help set the scene and John Glanville supplied two lovely 20s bicycles which we had down by our Visitor Centre on the beach. We also have to thank Jo Lindsay who made all our other beautiful costumes and the Friends of Babbacombe Cliff Railway who contributed significantly to the cost of running this event.”

Now the event is over visitors can rest assured that justice was done and the culprit was stopped in their tracks. If you didn’t manage to work out who the plotter was and what they were plotting visit http://www.babbacombecliffrailway.co.uk/news/ where all is revealed along with some great photos from the day itself.

For all the latest on the Agatha Christie Festival visit www.agathachristiefestival.co.uk

Plot to foil at Babbacombe Cliff Railway

Sunday 9 September will be full of intrigue, fun and clue-solving at Babbacombe Cliff Railway where budding sleuths are needed to help foil a mystery murder plot.

The event is set in April 1926 on the original opening date of Babbacombe Cliff Railway and Cliff Railway passengers who arrive between 10am and 4pm on Sunday 9 September will be given all the information they need to help them find clues and report their findings to the patrolling 1926 constable.

Visitors will be entertained by live 1920s music throughout the day from bands “Silhouette” and “High Society” who will be playing down on Oddicombe Beach and the Babbacombe Ukulele Group will be greeting visitors when they arrive at the top station with a selection of period songs. If that wasn’t enough there’s going to be some great Lindy Hop dancing going on too.

Nicky Allen, Marketing Officer for the Cliff Railway says “We’re hoping to transport everyone back to April 1926 and the opening of Babbacombe Cliff Railway. There will be a selection of characters dressed in 1920s costumes who have a number of clues and red herrings to impart to help solve our fictitious mystery. If you enjoy a bit of clue-solving, fancy a fun day out or just want to relax and enjoy the great entertainment we’ve laid on, then Babbacombe Cliff Railway is the place to be on Sunday 9 September. Most importantly we need people to spread the word – the more people we have to help us foil the dastardly plot, the better.”

Babbacombe Cliff Railway Mystery Fun Day is part of the Agatha Christie Festival which runs from 9th to 16th September and which has loads of other great events going on in and around the English Riviera during that period.

To join in the Cliff Railway Mystery fun just go along to the Cliff Railway from 10am on Sunday 9 September, buy your ticket to ride the railway and enjoy the clue-solving, 1920s atmosphere and great entertainment.

For more information on the Babbacombe Cliff Railway and the Mystery event go to http://www.babbacombecliffrailway.co.uk/. For all the latest on the Agatha Christie Festival visit www.agathachristiefestival.co.uk

Murder Plots and Intrigue at Babbacombe Cliff Railway

Babbacombe Cliff Railway is calling for budding sleuths to help foil a mystery murder plot on Sunday 9 September. Nicky Allen, Marketing Officer for the Cliff Railway says “We’re very excited about our first ever mystery fun day. We’re hoping to transport everyone back to April 1926 and the opening of Babbacombe Cliff Railway. At the moment we’re having some lovely 1920s costumes made and are putting the finishing touches to our line-up of 1920s entertainment which includes live music all day. Most importantly however, we’re trying to spread the word about a dastardly murder plot and encourage everyone to come to the Cliff Railway on Sunday 9 September for a fun day of clue-solving.”

Cliff Railway passengers who arrive between 10am and 4pm on the day will be given all the information they need to help them find clues and report their findings to the patrolling 1926 constable.

Nicky added “We’re hoping people of all ages will come along to take part. There are lots of clues to find and red herrings to identify and, most importantly, a plot to foil. It’s particularly fitting that we have set our fictitious mystery on the very day that the Cliff Railway originally opened on 1st April 1926.”

Babbacombe Cliff Railway Mystery Fun Day is part of the Agatha Christie Festival which runs from 9th to 16th September and which has loads of other great events going on in and around the English Riviera during that period.

To join in the Cliff Railway Mystery fun just go along to the Cliff Railway from 10am on Sunday 9 September, buy your ticket to ride the railway and enjoy the clue-solving, 1920s atmosphere and great entertainment.

For more information on the Babbacombe Cliff Railway and the Mystery event go to http://www.babbacombecliffrailway.co.uk/. For all the latest on the Agatha Christie Festival visit www.agathachristiefestival.co.uk