Cornish Branches

[Masbroughlad]

Apart from the Newquay branch.

When did the other branches have anything passengerwise longer distance-either regional or Intercity.

Apart from specials, what and when were the last loco hauled passenger trains?

Any pics and info appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Greenback]

Apart from the Newquay branch.

When did the other branches have anything passengerwise longer distance-either regional or Intercity.

Apart from specials, what and when were the last loco hauled passenger trains?

Any pics and info appreciated.

Thank you.

I would imagine that the Looe brach was always restricted due its unique layout.

I don't think that the Callington/Gunnislake branch ever had through services, as it was worked as a branch from Bere Alston.

I think that Falmouth was important enough to warrant thorugh trains from further places than Truro, but I would have imagined that through and slip coaches would have been the most many branches such as Bodmin, Helston and Fowey would have ever received.

Hopefully someone more knowledgable than me will come along with more detailed information!

 

[RPI]

There was a fridays (or may have been saturday) only FAL-PAD until 1979 which was loco hauled, the Cornish Riviera Express used to run to/from St Ives on summer Saturdays until about 1961, dont think Looe ever had anything, obviously the St Budeaux-Bere Alston section of the Gunni branch saw many named trains as it was a main line until 1968.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

St Ives had through holiday trains, the whole car park was the railway station.
8-9th photo http://www.davidheyscollection.com/page3.htm
Perranporth (St Agnes) had through holiday trains.
http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=1728&forum_id=33&page=6
This is a railway (Truro-Chasewater- Perranporth-Newquay) that should have remained open, probably in preference to the Par to Newquay.
Padstow (Wadebridge) had a through service to Waterloo (Withered Arm) Atlantic Coast Express.
http://www.atlantic-coast-express.co.uk/ace-2/ace-1

 

[Eagle]

Much more recently, in the days of Wales and West you'd occasionally get Alphaline services to Plymouth (from Cardiff, for instance) which continued as a local service to Gunnislake. Worked by a 150 I'd presume.

 

[Greenback]

I've seen pictures of the old St Ives, and I'm intrigued as to how they worked long distance trains down the branch.

Presumably they reversed at St Erth, with a smaller and lighter engine proceeding down the branch to the terminus? From what I remember though, the platform wasn't long enough to take many coaches, it certainly didn't appear to be as long as those at Newquay. If my memory is right, how long were the trains?

 

[Masbroughlad]

Could a Voyager get to St.Ives?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

At St Erth, platform 2 (the northbound through platform) is the only one to have a connection from the main line to the branch. It is currently used daily by the first and last St Ives trains to get to / from Penzance, and can hold 8 cars, so I would assume that a 22x could reach St Ives, yes. From what I can see it would just about fit at St Ives (6-car platform), but I'm not sure about clearance for it. This set up may also explain what Greenback asked.

 

[ainsworth74]

From what I can see it would just about fit at St Ives (6-car platform), but I'm not sure about clearance for it.

As well as clearance I wonder if the trackbed is maintained to a sufficient standard to allow a heavy train like a 22x to use it regularly without additional maintenance?

 

[Zoe]

Much more recently, in the days of Wales and West you'd occasionally get Alphaline services to Plymouth (from Cardiff, for instance) which continued as a local service to Gunnislake. Worked by a 150 I'd presume.

Not sure it would have been an Alphaline service if it was booked as a 150 as this would lack the facilties associated with the Alphaline brand back then which included air conditioning, at seat catering, seat reservations and a phone. There was however at one time a Treherbet to Gunnislake service although this was announced as run by Valley Lines. This service later became Pontypridd to Par.

 

[flymo]

I've seen pictures of the old St Ives, and I'm intrigued as to how they worked long distance trains down the branch.

Presumably they reversed at St Erth, with a smaller and lighter engine proceeding down the branch to the terminus? From what I remember though, the platform wasn't long enough to take many coaches, it certainly didn't appear to be as long as those at Newquay. If my memory is right, how long were the trains?

I've seen an online timetable from 1948 of the St. Ives branch and it shows a Saturdays only through service to Paddington. It was booked to have a 5 minute wait at St. Erth.

St Ives had through holiday trains, the whole car park was the railway station.
8-9th photo http://www.davidheyscollection.com/page3.htm
Perranporth (St Agnes) had through holiday trains.
http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_top...m_id=33&page=6
This is a railway (Truro-Chasewater- Perranporth-Newquay) that should have remained open, probably in preference to the Par to Newquay.
Padstow (Wadebridge) had a through service to Waterloo (Withered Arm) Atlantic Coast Express.
http://www.atlantic-coast-express.co.uk/ace-2/ace-1

Fascinating photos there.....

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

St Ives had a full size main line platform until c1968 - the site is now occupied by the car park.

The main Cornish Riviera in the post-WW2 period ran to St Ives instead of Penzance on Summer Saturdays, reversing at St. Erth, and being double-hauled from there by '45XX' locomotives. This ceased in September 1961.

Penzance was served by an additional 'relief' Cornish Riviera.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

Newquay could accommodate a 15 coach train. (Platform 1 - small section of it collapsed in the 80's)
Double headed, plus a banking engine up Luxulyan Valley.
I think St Ives was 11 coach.
http://www.urban75.org/photos/stives/st-ives-station.html

 

[caliwag]

As far as I can work out, through trains from Paddington to Falmouth finished in 1978.

 

[30907]

The Helston branch merited a stop at Gwinear Road in the Cornish Riviera but I dont think any of these branches had regular through coaches from a distance - unless you count Callington from Plymouth (in steam days)! Newquay was unique in having through trains from places other than London.

 

[Masbroughlad]

As far as I can work out, through trains from Paddington to Falmouth finished in 1978.

Would they have been a 47 or a 50 on a rake of mk1s or early mark 2s?

Anyone pics of these trains?

 

[Cliveblackpool]

As far as I can work out, through trains from Paddington to Falmouth finished in 1978.

Falmouth station closed for 5 years at the end of 1970 (new platform was opened 1000m up the line)

WR timetable Summer 1960 parts of

 

[RPI]

According to the book "Diesel's in the Duchy" by John Vaughn there is a pic on page 85 of 50044 hauling some MKII's over Carnon viaduct, says that there was a SO 09:10 Falmouth to Pad that was discontinued on the 29th September 1979, looks like it ran down empty. The through Riviera to St Ives was hauled by sometimes 3 45xx tanks 2 on the front and one banking and was 12-13 coaches long all the way into St Ives, the old platform at St Ives remained in use until 1970 although the buffer stops were moved which made it shorter once the loop was removed, the "new" station was built shortly after in what was the goods road. History lesson over lol.

 

[richw]

According to the book "Diesel's in the Duchy" by John Vaughn there is a pic on page 85 of 50044 hauling some MKII's over Carnon viaduct, says that there was a SO 09:10 Falmouth to Pad that was discontinued on the 29th September 1979, looks like it ran down empty. The through Riviera to St Ives was hauled by sometimes 3 45xx tanks 2 on the front and one banking and was 12-13 coaches long all the way into St Ives, the old platform at St Ives remained in use until 1970 although the buffer stops were moved which made it shorter once the loop was removed, the "new" station was built shortly after in what was the goods road. History lesson over lol.

I was just about to make a similar comment about a book I have with a picture, went away to check the book and page details, come back and you've made the information for me. "Diesels in the Duchy" is one of my favoured rail books.

 

[RPI]

It is a very good book and also very rare now! picked mine up for a quid in a charity shop!

 

[Cliveblackpool]

I was just about to make a similar comment about a book I have with a picture, went away to check the book and page details, come back and you've made the information for me. "Diesels in the Duchy" is one of my favoured rail books.

Found a couple of pictures in the following v interesting article!

http://www.derbysulzers.com/devon1.html

 

[caliwag]

This is all good stuff. I did actually post the question on firstgreatwestern coffeeshop forum, and they came up with the same answer...Sept '79 so thanks very much to that forum...if you haven't come across it the forum is superb.

Yes I realised that Docks was closed for a period, but due to the fact that trains used to run down the hill to Docks so that the driver could change ends, it was re-opened...that was tale I read anyway.

I'll keep an eye out for that book though...none on ABE as we speak!, but we do have some good second-hand bookshops in York

 

[richw]

Yes I realised that Docks was closed for a period, but due to the fact that trains used to run down the hill to Docks so that the driver could change ends, it was re-opened...that was tale I read anyway.

I believe due to the steep hill at The Dell station (now Falmouth Town) the driver was not permitted to change end there when terminating, so had to go to the Docks anyway.
The Dell station was constructed by transporting the former platform from Perranporth Beach halt across to Falmouth upon closure of the Perranporth station, I have read somewhere.

take a read of this page for a history of falmouth branch http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nigel.nicholson/gn/page 99.html

 

[Bevan Price]

Would they have been a 47 or a 50 on a rake of mk1s or early mark 2s?

Anyone pics of these trains?

Probably 47 or 50, or maybe classes 35, 42, 43 or 52 until they were withdrawn. Not sure if Peaks were cleared for Falmouth.

 

[RPI]

was booked as a proper loco (class 50)!!!

 

[caliwag]

Excellent article there Richw...many thanks.

I did notice considerable tidying around the docks junction, within the last couple of years, including some sleeper replacement.

Rumours abounded on the Firstgreatwestern coffeeshop forum a few months back about occasional workings into the docks, overnight presumably...although I understand the Penryn loop is considerably longer than required for a 150/153. Some suggestion of Tesco trains using the Cornwall Farmers siding at Truro as well. However my recent request on that forum elicited nothing!

 

[Cliveblackpool]

Excellent article there Richw...many thanks.

I did notice considerable tidying around the docks junction, within the last couple of years, including some sleeper replacement.

Rumours abounded on the Firstgreatwestern coffeeshop forum a few months back about occasional workings into the docks, overnight presumably...although I understand the Penryn loop is considerably longer than required for a 150/153. Some suggestion of Tesco trains using the Cornwall Farmers siding at Truro as well. However my recent request on that forum elicited nothing!

Penryn loop - one track is signaled both ways, so will not restrict the length of train, except when passing is required.

 

[caliwag]

ABE books (the second-hand book site) cannot handle any slight mis-spelling.

So, John VAUGHAN's book 'Diesels in the Duchy' is available (they have 3 copies available) cheapest £10 P+P free.

Good luck.

 

[3141]

I have an Ian Allan reproduction (cost one guinea in about 1969) of the GWR timetable for 1902 (original cost one penny). This shows through carriages to Falmouth on the 10.40 and 11.45 am and the 1.10 pm from Paddington, but not to any other Cornish branches. The 1.10 pm was the only one to consist of a corridor train. It appears that the through coaches were detached at Truro. The fastest journey was the 10.40, arriving at 6.42 pm.

Single fares £2 8s. 3d first, £1 10s 2d second, £1 4s 1.5d third class. Your four-wheel carriage would cost £6 10s 6d, but £4 17s if it had only two wheels. Your horse was £5 1s 2d, but additional horses were cheaper, if travelling in the same box. (They mean "horse box" of course!)

 

[caliwag]

Fantastic...Falmouth was always important of course, being the original Packet/postal outlet to the new world before Penzance took over, and I guess always a resort and a naval establishment.
Still takes me eight and a half hours from york...I go XC choosing the occasional 125 and taking a picnic (would like to romanticize that by calling it a hamper)...still wine and game pie...great journey. I take maps and gradient diagrammes...bl++din' gricer I know.:roll: