Brighton Devil’s Dyke Railway Tour

Description

This is a film showing the exact course of the Devil’s Dyke railway as it appears today.

Based on the previously available film shot in 2005, this is a far more in depth look at the exact route that this line took. Some footage from 2005 is used, but the vast majority is new for 2007 and more detailed. Particular attention is paid to trying to ascertain the exact course of the line through the built up areas of Hove and Hangleton.

Starting at Aldrington halt (previously Dyke junction), you see the exact site of the junction where the Dyke railway peeled away to the north of the current Brighton to Worthing line. Shots are taken from next to the current railway line and also from a moving train to see this secluded area as clearly as possible. Talk about thorough !

From here, every possible effort is made to travel the course of the line, sometimes by bike, sometimes out of the sunroof of a car (with someone else driving !) and sometimes on foot.

Having closely examined the route through all the various urban areas, its up on to the Downs where the track bed becomes delightfully clear to see. As with the urban section, the entire route is filmed. The two stations that have any remains to see at Golf Club halt and Dyke station are filmed in some detail. The difficult, overgrown stretch between Golf Club halt and Dyke station is filmed where visible, often having to crawl through pokey undergrowth ! The deep cutting just short of Dyke station is travelled and the views that travellers would have seen from the platform down to the sea are included.

Shot in glorious colour on sunny August days. Plenty of well researched commentary and a slide show of vintage shots appears at the end of the film.