Our younger daughter lives in Falmouth, so we were able to combine this short holiday with seeing her and her partner. We stayed with them the night before and the night following the holiday, thus extending our break and making for a relaxed rather than rushed journey down to the West Country and back. So Thursday 11th saw us on the 09:11 Virgin Pendolino to Euston, enjoying a pleasant breakfast in 1st class. We had a sandwich lunch in the first class lounge at Paddington, before boarding our early afternoon train to Redruth.
Chris makes the best of GWR's superb leather armchairs in 1st class on the HST. Enjoy it while you can!
We were lucky in getting one of the 'old' HSTs or High Speed Trains for our journey, as Great Western Railway has ordered new bi-mode 'Azuma' trains to replace the HSTs and these are notoriously uncomfortable compared to the old trains. Why are new trains the epitome of mediocrity? Why this step backwards in standards? I don't see car companies turning out vehicles which are inferior in comfort and ambiance to older models; quite the reverse. I suspect inept meddling by DfT civil servants in train procurement is the cause. Our railways are privatised in name only, of course. I think it's time that changed and the DfT backed out of stuff they don't understand.
The at-seat catering in 1st on GWR is complimentary sandwiches, snacks, and soft drinks, but the trolley comes around frequently.
It is possible to travel more directly between Cheshire and Cornwall via Birmingham and Bristol, but that entails using the awful Cross Country Railway 'Voyager' trains with their cramped seats even in 1st, poor first class standards, overcrowding (the trains are far too short for the routes they operate), lack of luggage space, and noisy underfloor engines. The actual journey time isn't much different, and I wanted to travel the West of England main line out of Paddington as it would be new to me, at least beyond Reading. I also found that 'Advance' first class tickets were cheaper via London than by Cross Country.
I was particularly keen to travel the scenic sea-wall route at Dawlish, between Exeter and Newton Abbot.
Along the sea wall at Dawlish
When I was about seven years old we had a family holiday in Sheldon, Devon. I remember crossing this bridge almost daily, over the river Teign between Sheldon and Teignmouth on our way to the beaches along the sea wall.
Leaving Plymouth, about to enter Cornwall
Brunel's magnificent Tamar Bridge at Plymouth, connecting Devon and Cornwall. The view of the bridge from the landward side has been obliterated by an ugly adjacent road bridge, opened in 1962.
The great man signed his work!
We were met at Redruth by our daughter and her partner and spent a lovely evening with them at their home near Falmouth. We dined at the nearby Norway Inn, so named because during the height of tin mining, Cornwall was almost denuded of trees for use as pit props so timber was imported from Norway and landed by the river here.
Even today it is notable that there are few really mature woodlands in the county, most trees being young and sparse.
One aim of this holiday is to travel the length of every passenger railway in Cornwall. Let's see if we achieve that.
Here's a dynamic map of Cornwall which may be useful to refer to when reading the blog:
Next day, Friday, was the start of our holiday proper and we travelled from Truro to Liskeard by train (an awful Cross Country Voyager absolutely packed to the seams and then some!) to meet our tour guide and the others on the tour. Here, some heritage diesels have arrived at Liskeard from Bodmin for the leading class 47 to run-around its 'train' of two 'dead' locos so it could haul them to Long Rock depot at Penzance for a diesel gala the next day.
This class 50 looks nice, but is not main-line cleared so has to be dragged by the class 47 to Long Rock
Coupling up - not a task I ever enjoyed when I did it as loco crew at MoSI
Having met our tour guide and left our luggage on our coach, we travelled Liskeard to Looe and back via the switchback and delightful Looe branch line. Here is the river bridge at Looe.
The view from the class 150 diesel unit on the way back up to Liskeard from Looe
We knew we could not avoid the new GWR 'Azuma' trains for long, and our first (above) took us from Liskeard to Par for the Newquay branch
The two coupled-together 'Azuma' units at Par which brought us from Liskeard. Running the 5-car units as two, to make a 10-car set, means there is no way from one unit to the other during travel.
We travelled the Newquay Branch (also known as 'The Atlantic Coast Line') from its start at Par, to its terminus at Newquay on this diesel unit, seen at Newquay. It's not a particularly scenic line, running as it does through the China Clay-mining area of the county and originally built as a goods line.
We leave on our coach for our hotel at Redruth. We had got onto the coach directly off the train at Newquay, "about the right amount of time to spend in Newquay", said our tour guide, Steve.
Saturday morning saw us at the Lappa Valley Railway, a 15" gauge line built on the track bed of the former Truro to Newquay line. The nearer loco is ex-Longleat Safari Park 'Muffin', built by David Curwen. The other loco is 'Ruby', an 'Exmoor' loco like those I used to drive at Rudyard Lake Railway.
Our coach, seen from the little train as we set off up the valley
This being a 'special' train run for our tour only before public services began on the railway, we were offered a 'run by'. We all (or most) got off, the train reversed out of sight round the bend, then ran past for a photo-shoot before returning to pick us up.
Run past video
Run past video
East Wheel Rose Mine was the reason the original railway was built, as a horse-drawn tramway to take the ore to Newquay for shipment. The chimney is remote from the engine house as the ground adjacent was not firm enough to support it.
A 10.25" line runs a further mile or so along the old track bed, from the mine. Here. the loco runs around its train.
This was a busy main line railway until it closed under the Beeching axe in the early 1960s. During WW2 it was upgraded in case the alternative coastal route was damaged in air raids, and this bridge shows evidence of widening of the arch (note the brickwork on the stone, and the 'shoulder' in the end of the arch) to accommodate tanks on flat wagons.
Our coach took us from the Lappa Valley to Bodmin for a trip on the Bodmin & Wenford railway.
Our loco, a Hunslet 0-6-0 'Austerity' saddle tank spent its working life with the NCB in South Wales
Lunch included - as were all meals on the holiday, and quite a few free bar tabs, too!
Climbing back to Bodmin - video
Climbing back to Bodmin - video
Our coach took us from Bodmin to Par, where we caught a train to Cambourne (another Azuma!). Here we re-joined our coach to Trevano Farm for the Helston Railway, a short restored stretch of the former Gwinear Road to Helston branch.
Our brake van was propelled up the line by a diesel shunter. I stood on the front balcony of the brake van to get a good view of the line.
Others, including Chris, traveled inside where a pot-bellied stove kept things nice and toasty.
Our short train approaches Trevano station
The terminus, for now, is within sight of Helston. The typical Great Western platform shelter was built from scratch by the volunteers on the railway - as was the entire station!
Looking back from the over-bridge at Truthall Halt
The end of the line - for now!
Our coach took us back to the hotel
Our coach took us back to the hotel
Sunday morning dawned wet as we drove down to Penzance, past St Micheal's Mount
St Michael's Mount on a cold, wet, Sunday morning
At Penzance we took the diesel multiple unit (DMU - a Class 150) to St Ives, turning off the main line at St Erth where our driver picked up the single line token for the St Ives branch.
Lovely beaches along this stretch of railway.
Lovely beaches along this stretch of railway.
We could either spend an hour each in St Ives and Truro, or two hours in Truro. As the weather was not particularly pleasant, we decided to stay on the train for its return trip to St Erth, from where we caught yet another 'Azuma' main line train to Truro, the only city in Cornwall. We had lunch there, then visited the rather lovely cathedral where an orchestra and choir were setting up for a rendition of St John's 'Passion'.
We returned to our coach after lunch only to be transferred to a double decker bus, since we were now off to Malpas to join a boat for a cruise down the Carrick Roads to Falmouth and our coach was too long to negotiate the tight bends of the narrow twisty lane down to the boat. As it turned out, selfish drivers visiting the pub at Malpas for lunch had parked on double yellow lines and our bus could not get through! Steve, our guide, aided by a burly sailor from our boat, got the errant drivers out of the pub to shift their illegally-parked vehicles.
The vessel above is a bulk carrier stored in the river out of use, awaiting further work.
The weather was quite windy and there had been doubts as to whether our boat would sail, but it did, albeit on a rather 'lumpy' (the Captain's description) river estuary. Here is the King Harry Ferry which crosses the river at Mylor, providing an alternative for motorists to a 30+ mile drive around the estuary.
The ferry landing on the west side of the river
The 'King Harry' is a chain ferry, and as soon as we had passed, it commenced its crossing of the river
The young lads manning this sail training ship were having a hard time in the strong winds! [EDIT: thanks to a friend, this boat is now identified as the Eda Fransen, on which one can book sailing holidays].
Our boat had a bar, and once again Steve our tour leader was 'in the chair'. I took my large (very large!) G&T up 'on top' with me to help keep me warm.
Our boat had a bar, and once again Steve our tour leader was 'in the chair'. I took my large (very large!) G&T up 'on top' with me to help keep me warm.
One of many substantial mansions on the shores of the Carrick Roads
At about 05:40 on 18th December 2018 this Russian cargo ship, The Kuzma Minin, grounded off Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth. She was successfully re-floated and moored in the Carrick Roads, but immediately impounded for failing many safety checks. She is now sold for scrap and awaits her fate.
Falmouth in sight. It was quite rough, and I was alone in venturing out onto the open cabin roof!
Video of the approach to Falmouth on the boat
Video of the approach to Falmouth on the boat
Safely moored in Falmouth Harbour
Next stop was the excellent national Maritime Museum in Falmouth. After this we made our way to Falmouth Town station for the Class 50 DMU to make the short hop to Falmouth Harbour station (so we will have completed the entire Falmouth Branch line) and stayed aboard to return through Falmouth Town to the branch's terminus in Truro from where our coach took us back to the Peventon Park Hotel.
Monday the 15th April was to have been the highlight of the holiday - a flight to St Mary's on Scilly and a visit to Tresco. But it wasn't to be. An early start got us to Lands End Airport in good time, driving though heavy rain and wind, but this is as far as we got. A Britten Norman Islander and a dH Twin Otter on the wet apron at Lands End.
We might have made it to Scilly, but more bad weather was forecast for later in the day and we probably would not have made it back. Skybus, the airline that runs the service, was only flying customers who were staying on the islands, not day trippers. However, one must hand it to our tour company, Inside Track. At this point they could have just given us a 'free day' somewhere, driven us there, and picked us up later. Instead, Steve was busy on his phone and soon we were on our way to the Eden Project.
Eden Project's geodetic domes occupy an old clay pit. The front had gone though and the weather was dry for this visit. The 'rain forest' dome in particular was interesting - and hot and humid!
Steve's phone did not get much respite! He, with coach driver John's help and local knowledge, had organised a lovely buffet lunch in a pub near the Eden Project, with a free bar tab as well! More 'Proper Job'! Excellent!
This part of Cornwall was once littered with conical waste tips from the China Clay mines. They were brilliant white, and known as 'the Cornish Alps'. These days, following the Aberfan disaster in South Wales, most have been flattened to minimise the chance of land slips, but this one remains and even has a preservation order on it! Vegetation growth has toned-down the once brilliant white appearance.
Next on Steve's 'instant itinerary' for today was Wheal Martyn, a one-time China Clay mine but now a museum. Our guide showed us around, and as he was recovering from a broken leg we thought following him would be a doddle. Not So! Years of working in this mine meant he scuttled up steep slopes as if they didn't exist! But his 'patter' was first rate as one would expect from a real ex-China Clay mine worker.
In the video below, note the 'ballast weight'. The wheel is driving a pump, and the ballast weight is raised by the water wheel during the return stroke of the pump, and its descent aids the water wheel on the power stroke of the pump.
At the top of the ridge one could see into a still-working China Clay pit
Next stop was Marizion in our coach to visit a model railway. By now the second front had arrived (the one which would have prevented our return from Scilly) and it was bucketing down. Steve divided us into two groups as the model railway premises was quite small, the first group to wait in a rather cosy pub for our turn to visit the model railway. Again Steve had set up a bar tab.... Well, we never actually made it to the model railway, but the Proper Job went down very well! Cheers Steve!
As if to mock us for yesterday's appalling weather, our last day dawned warm and sunny. We set off in our coach to Bodmin Moor where we stopped for coffee at the Jamaica Inn, made famous by Daphne Du Maurier's novel about Cornish smugglers. Continuing on, we arrived at the Launceston Steam Railway, a 2-foot gauge line built on part of the track bed of the long closed North Cornwall Line.
The LSR was started by Nigel Bowman and his wife Kay. Nigel had acquired Quarry Hunslet locomotive 'Lillian' from the Penrhyn slate quarries in North Wales and had restored her. Lillian and sister locomotive 'Covertcoat' are resident at the LSR and our loco on Tuesday was 'Covertcoat'. I have a 5" gauge live steam model of a Penrhyn Quarry Hunslet so I was delighted to get a footplate ride on 'Covertcoat' during our visit.
'Covertcoat' running around her train at the far end of the line
We travelled up the line immediately behind 'Covertcoat', so on he way back we had a nice view back along the line
Video of Covertcoat run-by
Video of footplate ride on Covertcoat
Video of Covertcoat run-by
Video of footplate ride on Covertcoat
'Lillian', like my model Quarry Hunslet, has an open footplate.Here she is in Launceston shed.
Lillian's flight deck; just like my model!
My 5" gauge Quarry Hunslet
This vertical-boilered loco was buoilt for a challenge to see if it could be done for less than £1,000. They almost did (it cost just a little more!).
On leaving the LSR our coach took us to Gunnislake for our final Cornish branch line, the Gunnislake branch from Plymouth. We said our goodbyes to coach driver John before boarding the inevitable Class 150 DMU for Plymouth.
Here crossing Calstock Viaduct over the river Tamar into Devon as we rattle down to Plymouth and the end of our brief holiday in Cornwall - in Devon!
And yes! We DID travel on every mile of every passenger railway in the county!
And yes! We DID travel on every mile of every passenger railway in the county!
We said our goodbyes to Steve and the rest of our group. While they made their way east and homeward, we went west back into Cornwall on yet another Azuma train, to Truro for a final night with our daughter and her partner. They had booked us into the delightful 'Pandora Inn' on a river creek near Falmouth for an end-of-holiday meal - a super finale to a super week in the West Country.
And the final delight..... Our train home next morning from Redruth to Paddington was NOT an Azuma - it was a delightful old HST with those lovely leather first class arm chairs! HSTs may be old, but they still hustle along at 125mph and have better performance on these non-electrified lines than the new Azumas! Ours ran Plymouth to Paddington non-stop save for a stop at Exeter and Reading.
A very full (even in 1st class) 16:40 Pendolino whisked us home from London. Steve wasn't 'in the chair' of course, but Virgin trains were just as generous with the G&Ts!
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