History Truro and Newquay Railway

map of truro , newquay railway

the great western railway (gwr) had secured dominance in south , west cornwall purchase of cornwall railway in 1889; had control of west cornwall railway , therefore had main line london through plymouth penzance, number of branches. had been working nominally independent cornwall minerals railway lines, in particular passenger route par newquay, years , in 1896 acquired network purchase.

in 1890s rival london , south western railway (lswr) extending network in north cornwall, through north cornwall railway, building launceston padstow: reached wadebridge in 1895.

the gwr wished secure north-west of county own territory, , responding local demands—in particular business interests in perranporth, saw town losing out due remoteness railway links—it projected truro , newquay railway. obtained authorising act of parliament on 3 june 1897. new line run triangular junction (blackwater junction) near chacewater, 6 miles (10 km) west of truro, , run via st agnes , perranporth shepherds; here new route joined existing treamble goods , mineral branch, built cornwall minerals railway. branch there newquay rebuilt passenger operation, including short alteration eliminate sharp curve, trevemper deviation. near newquay branch joined par line @ tolcarn junction, triangular.

the new construction 12 miles (19 km) in extent, , upgraded portion shepherds 5 miles (8.0 km). trains left truro on cornish main line far chacewater railway station , blackwater junction, new line turned northwards reach coast near st agnes. turned north-eastwards perranporth , turned inland reach, shepherds on former cornwall minerals railway newquay treamble branch.

construction began in 1897, slow complete; severe difficulties subsidence encountered near goonhavern. section blackwater perranporth opened on 6 july 1903, , there shepherds completed on 2 january 1905.

at first passenger stations st agnes, perranporth, , shepherds, 6 halts opened on 14 august 1905, partly in connection gwr s adoption of railmotors, integrated self-propelled coaches suited lightly used local services. new halt, perranporth beach halt, opened on 21 july 1931; main perranporth station inconveniently situated holidaymakers, business gwr wished encourage.

the line single between blackwater , tolcarn junctions passing loops @ stations; had 40 mph (64 km/h) speed limit. there 6 trains each way in 1910, rising 12 summer of 1938. there through train london in later years, joining penzance portion @ chacewater.

the area served line remained sparsely populated , general decline in use of local railways road facilities improved resulted in closure of line on 4 february 1963.

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