Luxulyan Photo Gallery
Derailment of a High Speed Train in the Valley
- the one car HST episode
The shortest HST formation ever to run in passenger service
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On Saturday 25th May 1991, High Speed Train power car No 43035 heading the 11.30 Newquay to Paddington derailed shortly after exiting Luxulyan tunnel. This left it perched perilously over the edge of a high embankment deep in the Luxulyan Valley.
Rather than attempt to de-train the passengers and all their luggage in this almost inaccessible location, they were all moved through to the rear power car, No 43029. After uncoupling, it returned at walking pace through the tunnel to Luxulyan Station where the passengers alighted and were taken to Par in a fleet of cars.
This movement of power car 43029 on its own was - and still is - the shortest ever High Speed Train formation ever to carry passengers.
Thankfully it was early in the season so there were few passengers aboard. More importantly, the HST's driver suspected a track problem on the outbound trip over to Newquay so, on the return, was proceeding with extreme caution. Had the train been moving at permitted line speed and it been a couple of Saturdays later, Luxulyan could well have been remembered rather differently.