Topography Truro and Newquay Railway

a class 22 diesel approaching shepherds station

passenger trains ran truro or chacewater perranporth or newquay, summer service ran newquay towards redruth until 1916, using west curve @ blackwater junction.

chacewater station (50°15′50″n 5°10′11″w / 50.2638°n 5.1698°w / 50.2638; -5.1698 (chacewater railway station)) had opened on 1 november 1853 on west cornwall railway truro penzance. loop platform line added behind platform used trains towards truro in 1912, time many branch trains terminated , started there.

blackwater junction (50°15′53″n 5°10′57″w / 50.2648°n 5.1825°w / 50.2648; -5.1825 (chacewater railway station)) triangular junction made of blackwater north, east , west junctions. west curve, trains towards newquay redruth direction, closed on 5 may 1919. on 9 november 1924 branch extended chacewater station, parallel main line, enabling blackwater (east) junction signalbox abolished. junction closed , branch line extended short distance chacewater station on new third track laid along north side of existing main line. loop platform served branch trains in both directions.

mount hawke halt (50°16′46″n 5°11′21″w / 50.2795°n 5.1891°w / 50.2795; -5.1891 (mount hawke halt)) opened on 14 august 1905. had single platform pagoda shelter, located in cutting on right hand side of trains going towards newquay. cutting containing station site filled in @ beginning of 1990s.

st agnes station (50°17′55″n 5°12′03″w / 50.2985°n 5.2008°w / 50.2985; -5.2008 (st agnes railway station)) opened line on 6 july 1903. had single platform on left of trains towards newquay, , small goods yard. local dissatisfaction expressed halt distance community served, ground formation @ trevellas coombe having prevented closer approach. passing loop opened on 4 july 1937, longer island platform. station building @ st. agnes survives , 1 of few remaining substantial relics on line.

goonbell viaduct, viewing north, st agnes beacon in distance.

goonbell halt (50°18′11″n 5°11′31″w / 50.3030°n 5.1919°w / 50.3030; -5.1919 (goonbell halt)) opened on 14 august 1905. single platform had pagoda shelter. halt in shallow cutting on left side of trains towards newquay. today cutting has been filled in wrought iron entrance gates survive.

the 140-yard (130 m), five-arch goonbell viaduct (50° 18′ 20.5″ n 5° 10′ 38.8″ w) ⁄4 mile (1.2 km) beyond station towards newquay, still intact , resplendent.

mithian halt (50°18′51″n 5°09′45″w / 50.3142°n 5.1626°w / 50.3142; -5.1626 (mithian halt)) opened on 14 august 1905. on left of trains going towards newquay. cutting , station area have long been long filled in , station site barely traceable.

perranporth beach halt (50°20′32″n 5°09′15″w / 50.3422°n 5.1543°w / 50.3422; -5.1543 (perranporth beach halt)) opened on 20 july 1931; last station added line. had single platform on right of trains heading towards newquay. halt staffed in summer months, , in records referred perranporth beach platform. after closure, sectional concrete platform removed , installed dell, subsequently renamed falmouth town railway station on maritime line. today 1 abutment of adjacent road overbridge remains , 4 houses stand on site of halt.

perranporth station (50°20′33″n 5°08′50″w / 50.3424°n 5.1473°w / 50.3424; -5.1473 (perranporth railway station)) terminus of line 6 july 1903 until completion newquay on 2 january 1905; passing place between chacewater , shepherds until st agnes station extended in 1937. platform situated between 2 running lines, , accommodation considerable in expectation of holiday traffic. small goods yard goods shed situated on south (right) side of line. ⁄4 mile (1.2 km) beyond station towards newquay 89-yard (81 m) cox or cocks viaduct; (50° 19′ 57.3″ n 5° 7′ 51.2″ w) still intact. nothing remains of station; industrial estate developed on site during 1970s.

goonhavern halt (50°20′30″n 5°06′26″w / 50.3416°n 5.1072°w / 50.3416; -5.1072 (goonhavern halt)) opened on 14 august 1905, on right of trains travelling towards newquay. had pagoda shelter , siding until 1919 purpose of delivering pit props nearby mines. halt , adjacent road bridge survived until 1983 when of formation of railway obliterated , cutting filled in.

shepherds station.

a branch newquay treamble had been opened cornwall minerals railway on 1 june 1874. when truro , newquay line constructed passing loop installed 2 passenger platforms, west of junction treamble line, remained goods line. new line , station opened on 2 january 1905(50°20′55″n 5°04′09″w / 50.3486°n 5.0692°w / 50.3486; -5.0692 (shepherds railway station)). remote centre of population, , name derived former mine workings @ location. there small goods yard opposite junction , camping coach later kept @ station.

the treamble line closed in 1917 , rails lifted , sent france war effort due upturn in mineral market, line reopened in 1926. again closed on 1 january 1952 although there had been no traffic on since 8 august 1949. track not removed until 1956.

mitchell , newlyn halt (50°21′28″n 5°02′45″w / 50.3577°n 5.0458°w / 50.3577; -5.0458 (mitchell , newlyn halt)) serving villages of mitchell , st newlyn east opened on 14 august 1905. had single wooden platform on left of trains going newquay, later replaced concrete platform. platform , waiting shelter may still survive amongst undergrowth across road terminus of lappa valley railway, inaccessible.

the 15 in (380 mm) gauge lappa valley railway runs on trackbed near here.

trewerry , trerice halt (50°22′54″n 5°02′36″w / 50.3818°n 5.0433°w / 50.3818; -5.0433 (trewerry , trerice halt)) opened on 14 august 1905. had single platform on right of trains heading towards newquay , situated west of level crossing, east of siding provided until 5 september 1948. platform timber-built later replaced concrete structure.

trevemper siding served industrial factory; on short section of treffry tramways route by-passed when main line improved. after closure of line on 4 february 1963, siding , route tolcarn retained until final closure on 28 october 1963.

tolcarn junction triangular junction before time of truro line; legacy of cornwall mineral railways traffic east wheal rose fowey. spur avoiding newquay called treloggan curve, , junction nearest perranporth lane junction; nearest par newquay junction or treloggan junction; nearest newquay tolcarn junction.

treloggan curve had been taken out of use in 1888, reinstated in 1931 purpose of turning engines when station turntable abolished enable enlargement of siding facilities. line tolcarn junction newquay remained single until march 1946.

newquay station

the newquay railway opened in 1846 , passenger service provided fowey 20 june 1876. station rebuilt 3 platforms accommodate opening of truro , newquay line; new facilities came use on 7 june 1905. has since been reduced single track. continues serve atlantic coast line trains par , number of long distance services on summer saturdays.

gradients

the line steeply graded. leaving chacewater climbed @ 1 in 72 / 1 in 60 mount hawke; descended st agnes @ 1 in 60 / 1 in 99, steepening 2 miles (3 km) @ 1 in 51 / 1 in 47 after mithian. leaving perranporth climbed 3 miles @ 1 in 64 / 1 in 45 summit short of shepherds, descended 3 miles (5 km) @ 1 in 45 location beyond mitchell , newlyn. still falling beyond trewerry, last 3 miles (5 km) relatively gentle.