Cornish branches

[RPM]

Thanks to First Great Western & The Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, the Looe Valley Line also now features some nice BR Western Region style Chocolate & Cream signage aswell.

Example here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rpmarks/6066653446/

Looe is very pleasant place to spend an hour or two. St Ives also, and the quality of light for photography there is superb. Newquay is OK in small doses but not that special. Falmouth is reasonablt pleasant - maritime museum is very good.

 

[richw]

I have a Devon and Cornwall railcard which makes the already good fares even better. Have to proof your residence of Devon and Cornwall to buy one. Gives 1/3 off fares for yourself and 1 person accompanying you, plus up to 4 kids for £1 each on off peak fares. The rail card costs £10 for the year.

 

[Drsatan]

Par Village has a fish and chip shop, a pub and a Spar shop. All are within 5 min walk of the station, however if you walk round the road can easily be 20mins.

Thanks! The last time I traveled on the Par branch I had a 40 minute connection, and while I did notice the pub I didn't notice the fish & chip shop or the Spar outlet. My phone was running low on juice so I didn't use google maps to find my way around.

 

[Max]

All the Cornish branches are thriving, a real success story for the rural railway.

This is partly because of the fare structure. The Cornish fare structure is absolutely excellent. The train in Cornwall offers excellent value for money and is a genuine alternative to using the car. So much so the only time i ever use my car in Cornwall is if the destination isn't rail served.

I was staggered at how cheap my journey from Dockyard to Looe was, only £3.55 with my Railcard! Incredible value for the distance really.

 

[Requeststop]

I was staggered at how cheap my journey from Dockyard to Looe was, only £3.55 with my Railcard! Incredible value for the distance really.

Last time I was back in Cornwall I was charged £5.00 return from Truro to St. Ives, and Truro to Gunnislake was also a fiver.

 

[Max]

Attached are a few photos from my trip up to Gunnislake today. I would agree with some of the earlier comments, the views were breathtaking in parts! Sadly, the scaffolding on the viaduct at Calstock spoilt any possibility of a photo but the vista was still impressive. I finished by alighting at St Budeaux Victoria Rd and taking a gentle stroll to the estuary front beneath the Brunel Bridge. There was an ideal 25 minutes before another service from Ferry Road towards Plymouth.

 

[Max]

And here's my photo from the bridge!

 

[Rich McLean]

And here's my photo from the bridge!

Nice. Used to live in Plymouth for 21 years, but sadly not no more

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I'm sure that Union flag-fronted pub on the Cornwall side of the Tamar in Max's second photo must be one of the most recognisable pubs in Britain!

 

[Cletus]

Has it got a beer garden you watch trains from?
If so, it can be added to the "Beer gardens to watch trains from" thread!

 

[EbbwJunction1]

St Mawes Castle, on the other side of the estuary from Falmouth, is also worth a look - travel by ferry from Falmouth.

Trerice, a National Trust property, is a reasonable walk from Newquay, but worth it when you get there.

 

[richw]

St Mawes Castle, on the other side of the estuary from Falmouth, is also worth a look - travel by ferry from Falmouth.

My father is a skipper of one of the St Mawes - Falmouth ferries so I have done that crossing a million times!
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Has it got a beer garden you watch trains from?
If so, it can be added to the "Beer gardens to watch trains from" thread!

street view suggests it may have http://goo.gl/maps/wriKg

 

[yorksrob]

St Mawes Castle, on the other side of the estuary from Falmouth, is also worth a look - travel by ferry from Falmouth.

Trerice, a National Trust property, is a reasonable walk from Newquay, but worth it when you get there.

Cheers, that's one for this years hols !

 

[Cliveblackpool]

Cheers, that's one for this years hols !

Trerice (NT)
Quintrell Downs is the nearest station. 1 and 1/2 miles, some roads no footpath.
Or Bus Newquay to St Austell Station nearest stop Kestle Mill 3/4 mile.

Another beautiful (NT) tudor house and old mill is Cotehele - mile and a half from Calstock Stn. Pick a bright day, as windows are small!!
Happy holidays!

Also the largest house, Lanhydrock House (NT) 1 3/4 miles from Bodmin Parkway, lovely walk, off road along the old carriageway by the R Fowey, direct from the back of the station car park! ...http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/membership/

 

[Requeststop]

The Cornish Branches are seemingly more popular than last year. Story from the BBC Cornwall pages:

 

[richw]

The Cornish Branches are seemingly more popular than last year. Story from the BBC Cornwall pages:

I went to St Ives in mid January went from St Erth around lunchtime back at 1630 and both services were fairly busy. Expected St Ives to be quiet in mid January at off peak times.
From people I know who use the Falmouth line, it sounds like there isnt enough capacity there again despite all the recent improvements and capacity doubling!

 

[Birdbrain]

I use the Falmouth branch quite a lot now and its always busy. I think its only going to get busier too now as the university at Tremough expands.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

I went to St Ives in mid January went from St Erth around lunchtime back at 1630 and both services were fairly busy. Expected St Ives to be quiet in mid January at off peak times.
From people I know who use the Falmouth line, it sounds like there isnt enough capacity there again despite all the recent improvements and capacity doubling!

Just shows increasing the service from from 1tph to 2tph makes a service a lot more popular.
I believe it is run by 1 & 2 car trains.
The branch can take up to 6 coaches at Falmouth, not sure how many the new arrangement at Penryn, but looks like it will easily take 4 coaches on each platform. Finding more rolling stock will be the next hurdle!
Maybe a passing loop at Perranwell could be on the cards within the next 20yrs!!

 

[richw]

Just shows increasing the service from from 1tph to 2tph makes a service a lot more popular.
I believe it is run by 1 & 2 car trains.
The branch can take up to 6 coaches at Falmouth, not sure how many the new arrangement at Penryn, but looks like it will easily take 4 coaches on each platform. Finding more rolling stock will be the next hurdle!
Maybe a passing loop at Perranwell could be on the cards within the next 20yrs!!

One of the diagrams is always a 150, the second diagram varies between a 150 and a 153, but seems to be a 150 more ofter now.

 

[TEW]

One diagram is booked for a 150 and the other 2 153s, it's pretty much the only 153 work for Penzance crew over the winter months so can't be a 150 really.
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The branch can take up to 6 coaches at Falmouth, not sure how many the new arrangement at Penryn, but looks like it will easily take 4 coaches on each platform. Finding more rolling stock will be the next hurdle!

Are you sure? I though that Falmouth Docks could only take 3 carriages, certainly when they ran 3 carriage trains a couple of years back for the Tall Ships festival it was a very tight squeeze there.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

One diagram is booked for a 150 and the other 2 153s, it's pretty much the only 153 work for Penzance crew over the winter months so can't be a 150 really.
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Are you sure? I though that Falmouth Docks could only take 3 carriages, certainly when they ran 3 carriage trains a couple of years back for the Tall Ships festival it was a very tight squeeze there.

Thanks, I believe you are right, they sold off the other half of the station. Be difficult to extend the platform much because of the Docks line branching off.

 

[83G/84D]

Thanks, I believe you are right, they sold off the other half of the station. Be difficult to extend the platform much because of the Docks line branching off.

It's unlikely the line into the Docks will be used as I am told there is actually little if any track left actually inside the Docks boundary. Recover the track and extend and extend Falmouth Docks platform in time for the return of the Tall Ships in 2014. The run-round loop could be kept and brought back into use for special trains.

 

[aylesbury]

NR are going to remove all trackwork into the docks at Falmouth including the runround on entrance to passenger station at the docks.So maybe this will enable an extension to platform?

 

[Goatboy]

NR are going to remove all trackwork into the docks at Falmouth including the runround on entrance to passenger station at the docks

Is that just to make sure those nails are hammered shut into the coffin? Shame.

 

[richw]

NR are going to remove all trackwork into the docks at Falmouth including the runround on entrance to passenger station at the docks.So maybe this will enable an extension to platform?

Can NR remove trackwork that doesnt belong to them? The only part of the trackwork that belongs to NR there is the points off the main branch, the rest is privately owned by the docks

 

[83G/84D]

Can NR remove trackwork that doesnt belong to them? The only part of the trackwork that belongs to NR there is the points off the main branch, the rest is privately owned by the docks

AFAIK the boundary is at the gates of the dockyard or thereabouts, not the station side of it. The sidings leading down to the Docks are the Exchange sidings and I believe are property of Network Rail.

 

[richw]

AFAIK the boundary is at the gates of the dockyard or thereabouts, not the station side of it. The sidings leading down to the Docks are the Exchange sidings and I believe are property of Network Rail.

yes I got the dock boundary incorrect, it appears from google maps the tracks are already gone from within the dock boundary
http://goo.gl/maps/60vfs

 

[Cliveblackpool]

AFAIK the boundary is at the gates of the dockyard or thereabouts, not the station side of it. The sidings leading down to the Docks are the Exchange sidings and I believe are property of Network Rail.

The boundary normally has a gate. .
I saw a pretty tank engine in steam on the docks in the 70's.
I wish they would mothball track and routes as long as possible.
Worth a few quid in scrap, millions to replace.