Dawlish Tunnels - A Short History

[@AlanWhitewick1]

Wonderful memories for me to, well done Paul and Rebecca, loved the video as always.

[@twotone3070]

I wondered who AW was.

[@pwhitewick]

Also... A big thank you to my father who is solely responsible for the 1980's shots contained within this video!

[@froggy8529]

Thank you for the Dawlish video Paul, I was researching the ‘dinosaur nest’ by elephant rock Dawlish Warren a few years back, i asked what it was at all the local museums, but no one knew what it was. I came across an article from a university geology team, they surmised it was a tower made by Brunels builders to stabilise the elephant rock whist blasting the rock and laying the track at Dawlish Warren. My findings are now in Dawlish museum. These days its a rock pool to explore at low tide.

[@robinhall3347]

@@froggy8529 Brilliant work

[@dilwyn1]

Awesome Paul .. So glad your dad recorded what he did and you are carrying on in the same vain.. In years to come I trust many will benefit from the knowledge of history you have imparted. Keep up the good work 💪💪

[@highpath4776]

We might have bumped into one another , cannot quite recall when I last stayed in the Dawlish and Shaldon areas for Summer Fortnights, have them all written down in a book , 1985 was Seaton for a change but prob would have done Sidmouth/Axeminster and over to Dawlish for a couple of Day Trips out, so I think 1983 and 1984 Were the cheap caravan parks in Dawlish, one year around Newton Ferrers east of Plymouth then Shaldon for at least three years , prior to that was a couple of years Stourton Caundle for Sturminster Newton and Sherborne (alas the S and D had gone ) and most years before that Okehampton bar a year at St Austell, a couple of years at Littlehampton and one at Wells Next The Sea (those closer to london were done in a motorbike and side car, the later ones in Hillman Huskies losing exhausts done the A303

[@iainhunneybell]

Love the 1980s videos of the HSTs, but some Westerns and Warships from the 70s? You are born too late Paul 😂

[@alistairslade3836]

I live nearby so nice surprise to see this one. That painting shows Brunel's pumping house and, I guess, some pistons from his Atmospheric Railway. Not the best idea he ever had :)

[@sjtutty]

But imagine it today with modern materials!

[@Quebecoisegal]

Yes, those details concerning Brunel's atmopheric railway stood out nicely in that painting.

[@nigelheath7048]

To be fair the idea was great, unfortunately the application and technology weren't.

[@hairyairey]

@@sjtutty still not going to work. Elon Musk's hyperloop won't work either. For a multitude of reasons.

[@garethhiley6388]

A cheeky bit of midweek tunnel love... Can't complain........

[@pwhitewick]

Oooooh yes

[@jeremypreece870]

That is our only rail link from Cornwall to the main rail network. Another black mark to Beaching for axing the Southern Railway routes which bypassed all of this section and could keep part of Devon and the whole of Cornwall permanently connect!

[@Sim0nTrains]

Some gorgeous drone shots! Epic video Paul and nice storytelling

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Simon

[@ivorwhitecar]

One of our favourite places to stay in. Many happy memories of Dawlish and Dawlish Warren.

[@Bender24k]

Now THAT is what I call living history. Your childhood movies. Awesome. Cheers!

[@davidlockwood9192]

thank you a great film. My Nan lived in Teignmouth, with my Gran living in Exeter so I remember lots of family holidays visiting the area and walking along that sea wall with my dad and seeing the HST in the Blue and Grey livery in the early 80's! Still head that way form time to time and make time for a little pilgrimage to the sea wall!

[@QALibrary]

A great video - the sea wall has somewhat changed this year

[@robertbartender591]

Don't you just love that stretch of line and the history behind it.

[@pwhitewick]

A life long fascination.

[@stewartshackleton7825]

My wife and I travel by train from Newcastle upon Tyne to Newton Abbot regularly to visit our daughter. This section of the route is by far the best part of the long trip. Thanks for the lovely imagery.

[@andyrichardsvideovlogs8835]

Awesome video, the drone shots are outstanding. That stretch of line is a "must do" for any transport enthusiasts.

[@raphaelnikolaus0486]

Lovely little lecture. :) Also: what a marvellous narration of a painting at the beginning.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Raphael.

[@tomlee812]

What a lovely little midweek bonus...Thank you!

[@a11csc]

any who recorded for posterity deserves a medal thanks to your dad and the work you now carry on

[@bobly]

I enjoyed it Paul, it gives an insight from Teignmouth to Dawlish I take it you will be back on Sunday along with your other half the delightful Rebecca

[@pwhitewick]

Well of course

[@retroactivejealousy-worldl1805]

The Parson & the Clerk are two adjacent rock stacks so my guess is there is just one tunnel called the Parson & Clerk and abbreviated to Parson. The sea stacks relate to a great folktale involving the Devil himself. I used to live just down the road. There are also some closed-off tunnels on the seaward side, perpendicular to the railway tunnels and supposedly a secret passage to the sea from an old Inn that would have crossed the railway at some point

[@DavidShepheard]

I really enjoyed this. I had not really noticed Dawlish, until I stumbled onto a video, with the Dawlish Beech Cams man, getting taken around Dawlish Station, after it had been battered by the sea. I've watched lots of his videos and it's amazing to see the new protective works, that are going to defend both Brunell's railway and the town behind it. Ironically, the railway got eaten away, because of a local NIMBY, who didn't want people on the seafront to look into his windows. Brunell agreed to drop the sea wall defences down and raise them up again, so that nobody could stand there and look at the guy's house across the railway. Over a hundred years later, and the sea came over the lowered walkway, ate away the railway line and even started to undermine houses on the inside of the railway line. We are very lucky that NIMBY didn't kill someone, in the present day. Now, we are getting a new barrier designed to turn back the sea, and BAM are also putting in a lift to make the station accessible and should hopefully be making the uninhabitable station rooms safe to reuse as waiting rooms. (In recent times, waves have just gone into the roof and flooded those rooms. You might want to head down to Dawlish, at some point, and make a video about that NIMBY who fought the railway, and the building he used to live in.

[@lindamccaughey6669]

That was fantastic thanks. Love the painting. Think back in the day they sure knew what to do. I really admire them. Thanks for the share. Please stay safe and take care

[@martinhew981]

My neck of the woods. Very interesting. I have done many photos there over the years. Working on the railway, you tend to fly past some interesting places and never really get the chance to take them in. What I especially liked about this was the drone shots. I always enjoy your videos and obviously a lot of work and research goes in to them. Thanks for sharing with us.

[@johnnodge4327]

Living in Cornwall, I've travelled on this line many times, there are some very interesting prices of scenery on the whole west county line, the tunnels and cliff bottom sections around Dawlish are a particular favourite for me.

[@hedleythorne]

Love the '87 shots of the intercity trains. Classic.

[@michaelbenton4117]

Brings back memories of holiday down in Beer and trips to Dawlish and beyond. Could watch your video over and over again, thanks you Paul and Rebecca.

[@a11oge]

came back to this today - it is always good to re-visit some videos.

[@Rail_Focus]

Great video, that railway at Dawlish is somewhere I'm desperate to visit and experience for myself.

[@philiptownsend4026]

I enjoyed your trip down memory lane, I have one too. I last holidayed at Dawlish 61 years ago as an 8 y o with my Parents and recently widowed Grandmother. We travelled there from N London in my Father's Morris Minor. The only other thing I remember about the holiday was a mishap my Grandmother had with her suede handbag - for some reason she thought it would be ok to put a Rum Baba cake into it - result was a rum sugar syrup and cream soaked suede handbag with the other contents so coated too. There was a massive drama. I haven't seen a Rum Baba for many years, perhap the repercussions from my Grandmother's incident caused the French fancy to be banned in UK. They were very messy cakes.

[@jonhelmer8591]

Great story. The place hasn't changed as much as you might think.

[@telemachus53]

My first rail memory is from Paddington to Plymouth. I was about 7 and the loco was steam. What a ride to start my love of trains with. I'll never forget my mum crying out: "Look, the sea - right here" as we emerged from the first tunnel flanked by red cliffs and the sea only a few yards away.

[@johncamp2567]

The fact that you used your own archive resources makes this delightful, informative video that much more sincere. Excellent presentation!

[@johnspear3452]

The painting shows the tubes that were part of Brunnels atmospheric railway, and the building which still stands as I believe the only remaining part of the atmospheric railway.

[@pwhitewick]

Starcross too I think

[@lindamccaughey6669]

What a fantastic video, so many stone circles. Such a lot of history over there. I loved that. Thanks for share. Please take care

[@BenCurrington]

My first journey on this line was in the year 2000 shortly after Coldplay's debut album Parachutes came out. I had just put the disc in my personal CD player as I was greeted with a view out to sea through the window next to me, and in my ears I heard the words of Don't Panic, "we live in a beautiful world." Good timing, and a fond memory.

[@chazk7530]

I believe Chris Martin is from the area too

[@BenCurrington]

@@chazk7530 yes, you're right!

[@AlisonBryen]

Quite possibly my favourite stretch of railway! It's been part of my life since my first trip to Dawlish Warren in 1988. We used to watch the trains go by from the coastal path and footbridge at the Warren. We last passed through at the beginning of October on our return from Cornwall...

[@billmmckelvie5188]

Excellent video, the aerial footage was breathtakingly good and for that reason. I was hoping it was going to be a longer video the research was brilliant too Thanks for letting us see your childhood videos of the early HSTs on the route which will hold a lot of sentimental value for you. I am sure this is the route that is depicted in the Ladybird book "In The Train With Uncle Mac" which has led me to have a bit of a soft spot for the route. I was waiting to see if you include some of the current work going on in Dawlish to make the town safer from the High seas that always leave you amazed!

[@chrisb012]

Went to Dawlish as a kid, on a special excursion train from London. Was brilliant!

[@RabbitStu-M7UTS]

Wonderful. I grew up in Teignmouth. Correctly pronounced by your self. Spent a lot of weekends mucking about on the sea wall.

[@martinlee5604]

I'm having a short break in Dawlish this week. I used to love coming through it on the train when I was a teenager. I look forward to seeing the cliffs, especially the Parson and the Clerk, the railway and the tunnels.

[@deanwhite6980]

Fantastic info. Really enjoyed .Thanks so much for sharing

[@Shuttlefield]

This was my daily commute in the 80's - from Teignmouth to Exeter St.Thomas and I know the sea wall so well and have walked every part - living at Maidencombe - was a good walk to Shaldon and the ferry across to Teignmouth and then along the sea wall - diverting inland over to Dawlish and finally ending at Dawlish Warren. I never ever took it for granted and always looked out the window! Great with the old DMUs too sitting up behind the driver!

[@robertwedd1111]

A great video as alway Paul. Apparently the GWR were planning an inland route to avoid Dawlish but I believe ww2 stopped construction. I can’t remember where I read that now but I think the route was surveyed and maybe even pegged out.

[@martinduddridge329]

If I recall, it did exist pre Beaching but was closed. It was trialled in the last couple of years but I can’t find out how successful or not it was.

[@robertwedd1111]

@@martinduddridge329 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawlish_Avoiding_Line

[@davedevonlad7402]

It was real, my great grandfather laid the track and my grandfather took it out. It ran through alphington in Exeter to ide village and out through two tunnels that I played in while I was a kid, The line went to Newton abbot where on the east side of the station you can see where it spurs off but now it's just blocked off and doesn't go anywhere anymore.

[@invisiblewizard2538]

Lovely bit of history - my parents live nearly up at the top of the first tunnel south out of Dawlish, so I know this area very well!

[@malcolmsmith6615]

Brilliant! I’ve known this stretch of railway for 50 years and have walked parts of it and travelled along it countless times. I’ve always wondered about the tunnel names and until now never knew the answers, but I do now! So Thank You!

[@shadrachmalooly9394]

Interestingly the landscape painting shows Brunels, “atmospheric railway”. Holidayed for many years as a lad along this coast. The train journey is amazing. Great video.

[@tardismole]

We need a part 2 of this story. The continuing problems with the sea. The Storm. And then the resurrection of Dawlish Station. It deserves to be told. Altrhough, you might have to wait until the work is finished. Bam is almost finished their part of the rebuild. Morgan Sindall is about to start theirs. Great video. Looking forward to seeing what you think of the new 'open' tunnel.

[@pwhitewick]

This time next year!

[@rickpartridge3817]

You need to view Dawlish Beach Cams - great regular updates on the new construction works

[@hairyairey]

Actually the long term problem is not the sea but the erosion of the cliffs. So there was a plan to move the line further out to sea. It surprises me that the sea walls are not curved so that the energy from waves falls away from the land. If you've ever been to St Malo in France you will know what I mean.

[@ncammann]

I love that stretch from Exeter to Newton Abbot. Do it during a storm when the waves wash over the train. Stunning,

[@arthurmee]

Excellent video. Thankyou very much.

[@davie941]

cool and very interesting video , well done and thank you Paul and Rebecca 😊

[@azza0911]

Incredible, I was just going through this wonderful bit of railway last week. Great video as always.

[@simonballard6413]

Thanks so much, Paul. Brought back a lot of memories. Such a beautiful route along the sea wall!

[@PhilipInCoventry]

Thank you so much for this fabulous presentation. I had an elderly relative who lived in Teighmouth. She once had a couple of hotels sixty years ago.

[@seantomlinson]

Great video I moved down to Devon last year and take that lovely route often never gets boring. If I'm ever on my phone I stop what I'm doing and just take in the views from Teignmouth to Starcross

[@TrevsTravelsByNarrowboat]

That brings back childhood holidays for me also, by mine were in the 60's and 70's.

[@Dogwalkingman]

One of our favourite walking spots, plus the interest of seeing the various engineering projects carried out in recent years.

[@finlayfraser9952]

Paul, that painting gives a clue to the line being an "Atmospheric" railway, a short lived experiment by Brunel!

[@ReubenAshwell]

Nice little bonus video, the Dawlish sea wall is amazing and you have some amazing shots in this one. :)

[@pipandkitty2004]

Total enjoyment watching these videos please keep them coming

[@TheOoblick]

The painting of Dawlish shows one of the pumping stations for the atmospheric trains that were experimented with when this line was first built. Indeed it seems to show the leather covered central vacuum pipes still in place between the rails.

[@Jimyjames73]

What a Lovely Line, yes me & my Mum did travel along this very same line quite a few yrs ago now - thanks for sharing 🙂🚂🚂🚂

[@kevinb2773]

Nice vid there, reminds me of home down there in Devvin before economic exile to Aampshire. Liked the representation of Brunel's atmospheric railway gubbins (a vid there surely) in the Condy painting too. Nice one.

[@barrythedieselelectricstea5217]

excellent story how dawlish railway came about and video's shot by your dad must bring back memories of your childhood 👍

[@DavidBeddard]

Nicely done, sir! I really should make the effort to visit Dawlish, and take the train along the coastal line.

[@paulprescott7913]

A lovely iconic stretch of railway. Great memories of standing on Teignmouth sea wall, HST's screaming past (with original Paxman Valenta engines) and doubled headed 50s as well. Love your dad's vids and great story.

[@shirleylynch7529]

Another great piece of history. Great drone shots. Very interesting.thank you

[@christopherforder8966]

I currently live in a Dawlish and have done for the last few years. I use this line every week for going to work. It’s such a nice commute from Dawlish to paignton. Very lucky to live in this part of the world.

[@BibtheBoulder]

Hats off to Brunel. A true visionary.

[@glenszczypski7734]

Actually, quite enjoyable. I like your explorations and railroads, too. I often watch the Dawlish railcam, so much appreciated.

[@hipcat13]

I used to travel this line every time I visited my granny in Torquay.

[@S-Ltd1000]

Walked the sea wall at Teignmouth many times, lovely spot. I live a bit further down in Ivybridge and one of the big viaducts is just over the back to me. You can still see the old piers from the original Brunel structure after they changed from broad gauge.

[@BeavisPits]

Great video, very interesting. I was there last weekend. My parents live in Holcombe and my grandparents lived there too. I remember my summer holidays as a young boy in the 70s, walking along the sea wall and waving to the noisy 125s.

[@lilacmonkeyminiatures]

Not sure if you realise but the painting at the beginning is a painting IBKs atmospheric railway, where it used a vacuum to move the trains. If you came through Starcross you drove past one of the pump houses for it The pipes were eventually used for a sewage pipe not far from Starcross.

[@pwhitewick]

Indeed yes. Stupidly I omitted to mention it but certainly implied it

[@davidgibbings6085]

I live in that area , just a lovely place and starcross still has the atmosphreric building for the railway

[@davidberlanny3308]

Lovely video. Very much enjoyed the opening scenes panning across the painting. Great to see the family archive material, I wonder what else you have to show us in the future. Good luck from Spain!!

[@martynbuzzing3327]

Very interesting. I spent many summer holidays in that area as a kid. Such an interesting area. 👌

[@stegra5960]

I lived in South Devon for about a decade and thought the closure of the inland route from Exeter to Newton Abbot, via Longdown and Chudleigh Knighton, was a really bizarre decision. The coastal route seemed to be forever facing problems and often closed to all traffic.

[@LittleHotels]

Re Parson and Clerk tunnels: it’s my understanding that “the parson and the clerk” is/was a rock formation, possibly resembling two figures. It may have been lost to erosion by now; I don’t know.

[@lapiswake6583]

Pasrons? (on the map) Very interesting, and beautiful drone shots. I used to holiday with my parents down there, but our last visit was in 2012. And I only really got into trainspotting in 2015...

[@philiptownsend4026]

I saw that but let it slip as P & R work so hard with the immense amount of detail in their videos the occasional typo must be forgiven. And don't forget that everything on KZbin is free for us all to enjoy.

[@rogerhudson2814]

The GWR used to have lovely cast Iron signs, i once saw one at Dawlish Warren that wrote that anyone taking shingle from the railway embankment might suffer transportation to a penal colony. Another GWR sign near Par station threatened transportation for throwing stones at trains.

[@FireballXL55]

We used to holiday at Dawlish in the early 70's, I remember the trains going back and forth, and the swans on the stream in the town.

[@neilthehermit4655]

Hang on,Thursday ?!, had to check the calendar for a moment there. Excellent suprise.

[@pwhitewick]

Love a sneaky midweek

[@neilthehermit4655]

@@pwhitewick Snigger !

[@DavidAspden]

Know the area well! When you went under the tunnel that used to be very messy, but now cleaned. Near the rail tunnel entrance is a ww2 gunner placement too!

[@petersimpson633]

Beat me to that comment. God knows what the poor sods stationed in that pillbox were supposed to do faced with an invasion

[@almostanengineer]

Ooooh, I recognise that view, used to see it daily on my walk to school.

[@robertansell4538]

Brilliant vlog Paul that spot on very interesting

[@davedevonlad7402]

Alot more history to this line and that dawlish wall than this video shows. My great grandfather, grandfather and father all worked and maintained this line and others throughout the southwest. My farther fixed the wall at dawlish many times and all of his repair work remaind solid until they tore it down and replaced it with the new one. My father ran the local gangs in Exeter St David's for many years so i know alot about this line and i also lived in dawlish for many years. I grew up locally as well so the dawlish wall and tunnels are well known to my family.

[@pwhitewick]

This is about the Tunnels Dave. Hence the title.

[@totoro123]

Beautifully told and put together, Paul.

[@jasonstevens7957]

Beautiful! Its worth just riding this part of the route then round through starcross, there are remenats of brunels atmosperic railway to see also

[@davidsheriff8989]

Great as always, light at the end of the tunnel .....

[@briancjohnson]

There's some very lovely railcams along this line!

[@LordClunk]

I thought I saw Rebecca whilst driving my lorry around in Exeter today. I thought it couldn't be her. Then you release a video from a few miles away from Exeter. . . .

[@-DC-]

Wonderful channel the quality and content is absolutely superb .

[@michaeldibb]

Surprised you didn't mention the atmospheric railway depicted in the painting. Other than that an interesting video 👍

[@Nastyswimmer]

I was going to point that out too

[@effyleven]

@@Nastyswimmer The Italianate building in the painting was an engine house for the Atmospheric Railway. Check out "Exeter Memories. The Atmospheric Railway." Perhaps the painting was made while the railway was under construction? There are tubes lying around. (Note:KZbin has forbidden the posting of links.)

[@likklej8]

My 1950s holiday to Paignton was by train from Paddington via Newton Abbot. All I remember is the Hall Locomotive that pulled our train. I got coal dust in my eye looking out of window.

[@rogerwarren2459]

There are 2 rocks called the Parson and Clerk . at Dawlish . that may accout for why the tunnel was referred to as the Parson and clerk tunnel . one tunnel not 2

[@marcdebruin2425]

Nice drone footage!

[@davidbassett4577]

Great video … was only down in Dawlish Warren & walking right through to Boat Cove along the sea wall along side the railway just last month with my dog Pepsi who loves the beach at Dawlish Warren .. she’s not too keen on the noise of the trains though, but she is a 13 year old border collie .. lol 🐾❤️🐾

[@ianfraser8347]

A near 12 hour trip by train from Scotland to Penzance a few weeks ago. Its such a marvellous achievement and a privilege to glide through this part of Devon in comfort. Thank God for these good people who, one hundred and seventy years ago, strived, risked their lives and lived in circumstances that we could never imagine living in yet built it all for us to enjoy today.

[@joewalker2152]

In the painting you showed at the start, you can see on the right one of the pump houses of Brunels atmospheric railway, a couple of which still survive. One at Starcross and one at Torquay.

[@meetoo594]

Theres one in Lynmouth/Lynton going up the cliff between the 2 villages as well I think, or is that a different type of system?

[@davidgaul6743]

brilliant and so informative , Nice one ....

[@sjtutty]

Really great to see this amazing engineering from the sea, thank you.

[@SharpblueCreative]

Been on that line a lot of times. Love the area.

[@paulsengupta971]

1987. That's interesting. Maybe we were there at the same time. 1987 was the year I passed my driving test at the age of 17, and for the first time I drove on the annual family holiday with my parents and grandfather, from Wales....to where? Dawlish! Or more specifically Dawlish Warren, but we were up and down the riviera the whole week.