The Sidmouth Harbour Railway was constructed in 1837 to transport stone from Hook Ebb to Sidmouth, in order to construct a new harbour. The line ran for around 1.75 miles and included a tunnel of around 0.3 miles through Salcombe Hill. The railway gauge is believed to be 3 feet 6 inches.
Initially the wagons were moved by manpower but eventually a locomotive was purchased and transported from Exmouth by horse and cart. It was then discovered that the locomotoive was too large for the tunnel and instead was used to give pleasure rides along the esplanade!
The scheme faded away and the tunnel was allegedly used by local smugglers for a while. Today erosion means that few traces remain although part of the tunnel is used as a bat roost.