Treffrys Newquay Railway
The Three Tunnels -
Toldish, Coswarth and Newquay Harbour
The Three Tunnels -
Toldish, Coswarth and Newquay Harbour
In 1972 fired by an excellent lecture on Treffrys Tramways by the late Arthus Anstis Roger Winnen and I set out to find out about the long abandoned Toldish Tunnel.
We drove to a location near Toldish tunnel and visited a nearby farmhouse to ask if we might take a look at the tunnel ends. With permission granted we visited both ends of the 530 yard tunnel and found it to be very much lost to nature having closed in 1874. It was always goods only
We drove to a location near Toldish tunnel and visited a nearby farmhouse to ask if we might take a look at the tunnel ends. With permission granted we visited both ends of the 530 yard tunnel and found it to be very much lost to nature having closed in 1874. It was always goods only
The above map courtesy of the National Museum of Scotland (non commercial use) clearly shows the direct route of Treffrys Newquay Railway and the circuitous by-pass trackwork necessary to avoid the narrow confines of the tunnel. On the west side of the deviation can be seen St Columb Road station and to the east the location of St Dennis Junction can clearly be seen.
Our photographs of the ends of the tunnel were taken in 1972.
The east end of the tunnel in 1972. Copyright Keith Jenkin.
The west end of the tunnel in 1972. Copyright Keith Jenkin. (The person at the tunnel entrance is Geoff Clift who joined us for our exploration.)
We gathered at the time, from a notice, that the tunnel was being used as a reservoir However the water inside the doorway was shallow - perhaps six inches.
Taken from a train shortly after leaving St Columb Road station on the current route, the tramways route can clearly be seen alongside. The date is probably 1972. Copyright Keith Jenkin.
Coswarth tunnel
Coswarth tunnel 44 yards 25 June 1978 Copyright R. Winnen. (In the distance can be seen a footbridge which was removed sometime ago on the closure of the footpath
Still very much in use - the bed of the tramway must have been lowered to improve the tunnel gauge.
Newquay Harbour Tunnel
A view looking up through the tunnel - From the Alan Harris Collection.
Memories Revived -Toldish tunnel
As is is now fifty years - yes fifty years since Roger and I plus a friend visited Toldish Tunnel it was most refreshing to discover the others, far better equipped than ourselves have visited the site since and have made an excellent record. We see the collapsed portion of the tunnel and the flooding. Very well worth a look - please copy this link https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=toldish%20tunnel&&FORM=VDVVXX