The Real Onedin Line

About

Join Art Work Exeter and the Custom House for The Real Onedin Line: an exhibition and pop-up performances that celebrate the rich history of the Quay – inspired by the area's key role in the 1970s BBC drama 'The Onedin Line'.

The Real Onedin Line is a community filmmaking and research project. In 1976 the BBC drama 'The Onedin Line' used Exeter Quay as one of its film locations. Although the series was about the international shipping trade in Liverpool in the 1860s, many scenes were shot in front of the then-unrenovated warehouses, the Prospect Inn, Colleton Crescent and the Canal Basin. The filming remains a vital piece of the city's cultural memory, with many people remembering the area's temporary transformation by the film crew, and appearing as extras. The Real Onedin Line project uses the energy of this collective cultural memory to launch a bigger journey of identifying, valuing and making more visible the industrial and social heritage of Exeter Quay.

The Real Onedin Line exhibition presents new material uncovered by a team of community researchers who've been delving into the history of the areas used for location filming on the original Onedin Line series. Gathered from interviews and archive research – and featuring memorabilia related to Exeter's role in the TV series – the exhibition is a creative response to the changing face of the Quay over the last half century.

Pop-up performances by community volunteers will bring to life local people's recollections of being involved in the filming and about life on the Quay over the years.

The Real Onedin Line is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.