Rusty bridge

Today our walking group had arranged a commemorative walk along the old Budleigh Salterton Branch Railway Line which closed 50 years ago. We started at Newton Poppleford and had special permission and an escort across parts of the land that are not open to the public.  We got to see some different views oflocal areas and crossed several old iron bridges.  A resident in Otterton who lives in the old East Budleigh Station has retained the building as a house, kept the platform and built his own minature railway in the garden.  We were all invited to have a ride.  Then followed a walk to Budleigh Salterton, along or close to the old railway line.  The local museum was open specially for us and a DVD of the history of the line shown including a film recording of a train journey along the route. It was a good day getting a feel for the past, just such a pity that these old railway lines cannot be reopened. 

This blip of the corroded paint and iron was on a bridge with a plaque dated 1896.  See extras for a bridge, a local view and a plaque.