Railways in the Cornish Landscape – part 2. by Stephen Gay

MEETING REPORT 08.10.24

The vista of the Cornish landscape and its associated railways have always been a very appealing one.  Our local guest presenter, Stephen Gay with his inimitable style of presentation, was an irresistible combination for our October meeting.  As anticipated it attracted a highly appreciative audience, and with an excellent turnout.

The presentation continued on from his previous visit to the branch last November.  All of the slides were taken prior to 2019, so changes to the infrastructure of signal boxes and semaphore signals had not then been made.  In some respects the railway took a subordinate role to the stunning countryside.  Local services were very much in the hands of DMU’s classes 150 & 153, but with the occasional sight on an HST & ‘Voyager’ class 220.  Geographically we started in the St Austell area, with a good view of a class 66 running oil tanks to St. Blazey (now alas in the hands of road transport).  Old china clay pits abound in the area.  An extraordinary sight however was a redundant clay pit funicular railway with track and cars still existing.  We continued along to Burngullow and Parkandillack and thereafter Truro, ultimately arriving in the area of the Fal estuary.  Viaducts abounded, with a nice shot of an HST in the Truro area.  The cathedral there produced an excellent backdrop.  Equally was a nice slide of Truro station with two HST’s in situ.  With a diversion from our travels we meandered along the trackbed/walkway from Carnon Downs (Redruth to Chasewater railway), finding an extant crossing keeper’s lodge, albeit in private use.  Thence onto Devoran village hall (ex railway workshop) and sight of the interchange of that past railway station with the ‘docks’ on the river Fal.  The ferry service there from Truro to Falmouth was an attractive sight.  En route to Falmouth/docks via Penryn we admired the handiwork of the ‘Friends of Penmere Station’, demonstrating the true value of community involvement.  Then heading north and westerly onto Redruth, Camborne (statue of Richard Trevithick), Hayle, St. Erth and along the scenically beautiful St. Ives branch.  We finally arrived at the classic view of Penzance station, with the anticipated view of a Paddington bound sleeper train.  The journey along was punctuated by the occasional sighting of Cornish engine houses (mine water pumps) which are as unique to Cornwall as Oast houses are to Kent.