I walked the course of this line in 1998 and took photos of key scenes as they were at the time. I even found some bits of railway hardware in the bushes.

Terrible Muzak

We live in Launceston Tasmania Australia, our river is tha Tamar and Exeter not far away

Excellent video. Thank you. More needed documenting ex LSWR lines west of Exeter.

Another case of Beeching almost foiled in his indifference due to there being no road beyond Gunnislake. Plans are afoot to bring it back to Callington.

for Geoff Savage Deffers!

Amazing film. Thankyou so much for that!

Great film. Went up to Barney on a Runabout ticket in 75, loco and coaches with the run around still in place. Such a shame its been so rationalised. Love the BR blue unit. Happy days back then.

If I may ask, where is the photo at 41:56 from please?

Who’s that handsome guard changing the points at Bere Alston? I do believe it’s me!

Greetings from an Australian rail fan. A fantastic piece of history and well produced.

Fantastic videos as always, what Is the clarinet music playing please?

I can't believe you have a gwr Pannier with a deep, " hooter" as opposed to the melodious swindon whistle. Just doesn't sound right on a Swindon built engine.

Absolutely excellent... Loved the choice of music. Thanks for posting.

No mention or view of the many 'request stop' stations along this line.

Walked the trackbed a few years after closing from Martock to Montecute, then the platforms were still in situ before they were moved to the West Somerset Railway. Today this line would be highly profitable with commuters and shoppers as Martock is no more than a commuter town for Taunton and Yeovil.

Thank you for sharing, I was Subganger at the P.way to Okey and still live near enough to hear the Trains in the Valley between Eggesford and Kings Nympton that used to be called South Molton Road.

Nice to see the early footage of the West Somerset as well. Butlins at Minehead (in Somerset BTW) has changed as much as the railways have in the intervening years.

Brilliant. I remember the Western on the miniature line at Minehead from about 1978. Its amazing to see Buckfastleigh station without all the sheds but I guess this is how they earn a living to keep it going.

I do like the various videos on this site but cannot stand the music and narration . So I mute the sound

Great film. Alan Gosling is driving 1638. Those four caravans seen at Buckfastleigh provided volunteer accommodation. There were many “entertaining” evenings spent in them. The Damo B van seen in the siding (now loop) at Staverton has been a pretty permanent resident there for years. The last bit with 6412 is of course at Blue Anchor on the WSR. Happily the loco is now based at Buckfastleigh.

Splendid film, and the music complements it perfectly. Caught a glimpse of 34018 Axminster which was withdrawn July 67, and 34095 Brentor which went at the same time.

Oliver is based off of the class 14xx tank locomotive the engine character in Thomas and friends

This is unfair ...I'm at work, I'll have to wait till lunchtime😢

On a trip to the UK in 2014, ,we took the bus from Poole to Exeter along the coast. The bus route went right past the site of West Bay station, so were able to see it from the bus. I believe that bus route is now discontinued, but we also went from Beer to Weymouth on the same route in 2010. A lovely part of the country. Coming originally from Bournemouth we used to regularly visit Swanage and Weymouth, but never got as far as Bridport. Now semi-retired in Picton, South Island, New Zealand.

Thank-you! More evidence of the take-over of our Country by the barbarians.

First time I've heard that Bromsgrove is in the North East! ;)

Since 1972 the railway to oakhampton has trains running a daily ever hour service which has been very popular for commuting and day trips

Congratulations on restoring this from old 1970's film stock that wasn't the best when it was new . Youve done a great job with what you had pleasure to watch it . Cheers

Thank goodness people had the foresight to film these trips,I know equipment and film was expensive for the amateur,would have been nice to see a cab ride of the whole line,thanks for posting

Subscribed. Interesting videos and thanks for sharing.

fantastic stuff

Really bizarre to see the "modern" and iconic Intercity building surrounded by steam engines. A truly once in a lifetime moment.

Another great video. Brings back many memories.

What great memories the video brings back.

Closing the Tavistock North station was very short sighted and to hear it being mentioned that attempts were being made to open it when this documentary was filmed makes me laugh as we seem no closer in 2024!

Lovely! what it lacks in quality is more than compensated by the atmosphere. Shows how much was changed/swept away in the 1960s, and how quickly even the newer diesel types vanished too

I see some comments about Welsh station names. That reminds me that when I lived in Shrewsbury there was a station announcer who used to read out all the station names on this line (and, so far as I can tell, pronounced them correctly). It was pure Dylan Thomas listening to the recital!

What a great video. Even now things have moved on . With passenger trains returning to Okhampton. And the failure of HS2 hopefully paying to open the line back to Tavistock. The pace of life back then was a lot slower. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

What a great video. It brought back memories of when I went to Laira as a young lad of 8 and 9. I remember standing on the steps by the running lines and also walking through the roundhouse. Thank you for producing this.

nice footage of one of the original Corris railway engines departing the top station of the TR

Here are a few clues to the date shot.... The dieael shed was built in 1962. Warship class locos started to have yellow ends in 1962 also. All steam ended in the plymouth WR area in 1963, with a few random turns into 1964. That said, the film is 8 minutes long. That auggeats 2 reels of 50ft film, as they are 4mins eaxh. So some footage could possibly be older than others here. You can call me "clusoe" lol

Don’t remember the ol western shed but remember mum taking me to tothill park from Salisbury rd school 62/63/64, so I could watch the engines coming up past friary shed. Remember 34069 as if twas yesterday ambling up on a freight. Std 5’s etc. Saw 34011 in the gap by anson terrace must have been just before withdrawal er was filthy. Grandad was on the railway as a shunter at friary & finished up his time caretaking at Laira diesel depot. Used to take me there on pay days. Out the back by boiler house the Bulleids, stds & ivatt tanks were stabled. Friary had shut so this was 63/64. Western steam had finished. No interest in them ol diesels. Remember seeing 34024 coming up through the rock cutting to mount Gould Junc gleaming (ex works?) with the 10 green gleaming bogies of the up Brighton. Spent a lot of time with grandad at north rd & Exeter central mesmorised by the ol Bulleid Pacific’s. Amazing what a 5-6 yr old remembers. My uncle was a passed man on steam at friary & took his seniority to Laira amongst all them ol western men!! A lot of noses put out of joint by men being put back with the southern men with their seniority taking their redunandcy moves to Laira.

1363 still lives! At Didcot.