Black and White at
Exeter
Paul Barlow
Exeter
Paul Barlow
Black and white at times makes a refreshing change from colour and there now follow a series of pictures taken by Paul when he was doing his own developing and printing - well done Paul - and many thanks.
33106 stands at Platform 6 with the 19.35 Exeter to Cardiff on the 16th December 1982. Copyright Paul Barlow
Central Cornwall Railway.
Peter Murnaghan
Peter Murnaghan
An old document has recently come into my possession which I thought might be of interest to your members and readers. It is a Prospectus for the Central Cornwall Railway, which was trying to raise funds to avoid the change of gauge and link the standard gauge West Cornwall Railway at Truro with the (under contruction) Okehampton Railway, by way of the Bodmin & Wadebridge Railway between Ruthern Bridge and Wenford Bridge. The document is undated, but the Okehampton Railway is shown as under construction; this opened on 3 October 1871. The line from Launceston to Lydford was the broad gauge Launceston and South Devon Railway, which was to be dual gauged; the LSWR line to Launceston didn't arrive until 21 July 1886.
The railway's proposers envisaged direct links from Penzance and Falmouth to Waterloo by avoiding the change of gauge. The projected line would have gone across open country, populated only by villages, with Camelford being the single significant town. But much was made of the minerals and mines that could have been served. Having traced the alignment on a map, I reckon that it would have crossed Davidstow Moor, later the site of the airfield. In an uncanny reflection of today's debate, the prospectus makes much of the benefits of avoiding the South Devon line with its gradients and curves, by boasting that it could connect with London "..at a saving of 30 miles and with improved gradients".
I have established that the Central Cornwall Railway Act was passed in 1867, but the project was abandoned by the Board of Trade on 16 March 1870. Only later, on 18 August 1882, was the North Cornwall Railway Act passed, but it could be argued that the later railway was even more remote, opening between Halwill Junction and Launceston on 21 July 1886, with Wadebridge to Padstow not opening until 27 March 1899. Interestingly, the Engineer for the North Cornwall line was WR Galbraith, who had been intended as the engineer for the Central Cornwall. As we know, the Withered Arm closed to Wadebridge on 3 October 1966, with the link to Padstow closing on 30 Jan 1967.
It is interested to read the optimistic forecasts for the railway in the prospectus and one can only wonder how many people were prepared to commit to buying £2 share in the endeavour. Clearly not enough !
I hope this is of interest.
Very best wishes,
Peter
The railway's proposers envisaged direct links from Penzance and Falmouth to Waterloo by avoiding the change of gauge. The projected line would have gone across open country, populated only by villages, with Camelford being the single significant town. But much was made of the minerals and mines that could have been served. Having traced the alignment on a map, I reckon that it would have crossed Davidstow Moor, later the site of the airfield. In an uncanny reflection of today's debate, the prospectus makes much of the benefits of avoiding the South Devon line with its gradients and curves, by boasting that it could connect with London "..at a saving of 30 miles and with improved gradients".
I have established that the Central Cornwall Railway Act was passed in 1867, but the project was abandoned by the Board of Trade on 16 March 1870. Only later, on 18 August 1882, was the North Cornwall Railway Act passed, but it could be argued that the later railway was even more remote, opening between Halwill Junction and Launceston on 21 July 1886, with Wadebridge to Padstow not opening until 27 March 1899. Interestingly, the Engineer for the North Cornwall line was WR Galbraith, who had been intended as the engineer for the Central Cornwall. As we know, the Withered Arm closed to Wadebridge on 3 October 1966, with the link to Padstow closing on 30 Jan 1967.
It is interested to read the optimistic forecasts for the railway in the prospectus and one can only wonder how many people were prepared to commit to buying £2 share in the endeavour. Clearly not enough !
I hope this is of interest.
Very best wishes,
Peter
Central Cornwall Railway Prospectus page 1. Peter Murnaghan
Central Cornwall Railway Prospectus page 2. Peter Murnaghan
Central Cornwall Railway Prospectus page 3 Peter Murnaghan
The District Map. Peter Murnaghan.
The 'Through Route' map. Peter Murnaghan
Many thanks Peter for giving us an insight into your valuable acquisition. This item is repeated in our January to June 2020 Features section.