New DVD from Chris Bedford of Dumpman Films detailing the branch lines of East Devon. DVD filming took place in May 2021, so is very recent.
Chris, who is also an RR member, has been mentioned before in the Railway Ramblers magazine, and is, I believe, known to several walk leaders for his excellent DVDs of former railway lines and other places of historical interest.
The railway lines to Sidmouth, Budleigh Salterton and onwards to Exmouth had not been covered before in the very thorough way that Chris does them, as regards their walking potential. If they had been, I have certainly not come across anything.
Chris managed, through stint of getting approval from local landowners, to cover all the railway stations on the Sidmouth and Budleigh Salterton lines, gaining access to several sites on the way. Those he was not able to access, were filmed as extensively as Chris could manage at the time.
Sadly a lot of building work has taken place on the lines, especially at Sidmouth, but Chris’s own techniques of covering the housing estates etc in his car have to suffice for that, Chris being very experienced at this sort of thing. However once away from the actual towns the countryside opens out and we see extensive views of the former track bed.
The Otter Valley through which the lines run is very beautiful, and you certainly get the ‘full stereo view’ of the countryside.
Dumpman Films DVDs are very economically priced and I would certainly recommend them. I own about ten of them – purchased over the same number of years.
In addition to the above I would certainly suggest getting hold of the Dumpman Films on the Isle of Wight railway lines, the Princetown branch in the West Country. Moretonhampstead branch and the short Hayling Island branch lines videos in particular that Chris has done.
Other matters relating to East Devon.
My own experiences of camping coach holidays at East Budleigh station in the 1960s are covered in the Irwell Press book. Link below.
Would also recommend the following to complement the Dumpman Films recent offering on East Devon. To give the 1960s perspective of when the lines were actually running:
Sidmouth & Exmouth Branch Lines – Dumpman Films
Memories Of The Sidmouth & Budleigh Salterton Branches (videoscene.co.uk)
Reviewed by Brian George