New Pub Sign
at Illogan Level Crossing
at Illogan Level Crossing
The pub sign taken in March 1974 Copyright Roger Winnen
The Railway Inn closed several years ago when the old sign was removed but has recently reopened under new management, we wish them well.
The New Sign - taken on 19th November 2017. It is a pity that the new sign doesn't show a colourful tram and a gate - the rail and tramway crossing at this site made it very unique. Copyright Keith Jenkin.
Illogan Highway Level Crossing from the 1908 25 inch OS map, with Permission of the National Library of Scotland. Note the tramway track to the right is towards Redruth, also to be seen to the left is a tramway branch to Wheal Agar mine. The mineral tramway operated to Tolvaddon. The passenger trams Camborne - Redruth ceased operation in 1927, this was due to fierce competition by buses (which would nip in front of the trams and pick up the passengers!!). The mineral tramway operation carried on until 1935.
Illogan Highway 2 Tram number 7 heads for Redruth and will very soon enter the passing loop. To the right is the 'Railway Inn'. Alan Harris Collection
The map accompanying the feature on the unfortunate pub sign at Illogan Highway shows some interesting features. Among them is Wheal Agar and its connection to the Camborne-Redruth tram system.
At the time of the map (1908) Wheal Agar was on its last legs; it had seldom made much profit and before World War 1 it was amalgamated with East Pool mine. East Pool, in turn, suffered a catastrophic underground collapse in 1918 and had to suspend operations. They set to work on a new shaft (known as Taylors, after the mine captain) on a new site, near Wheal Agar , (whose engines survived, derelict until 1946). Taylor,s had no processing facilities, so they took over Agar's rights to use the tramway along the streets to the processing plant at Tolvaddon. Thus, although the streets of Pool no longer saw trams after 1927, there was the daily hazard of the mineral tram through the silent streets, accompanied by yells of 'tincar'.
The tram tracks were gradually removed (apart from this section) but the tincar ran until 1935. East Pool and Agar Limited cast the acronym EPAL on their ingots (and in white brick, as everybody knows who passes the site today). In 1935 East Pool opened an aerial ropeway across country to Tolvaddon, which carried their ore until the mine closed in 1945. Taylors engine worked on to keep South Crofty dry, until 1954.
The poles which carried the tramwires survived until the mid-1960s as lamp posts between Camborne and Redruth.
Roy Hart
At the time of the map (1908) Wheal Agar was on its last legs; it had seldom made much profit and before World War 1 it was amalgamated with East Pool mine. East Pool, in turn, suffered a catastrophic underground collapse in 1918 and had to suspend operations. They set to work on a new shaft (known as Taylors, after the mine captain) on a new site, near Wheal Agar , (whose engines survived, derelict until 1946). Taylor,s had no processing facilities, so they took over Agar's rights to use the tramway along the streets to the processing plant at Tolvaddon. Thus, although the streets of Pool no longer saw trams after 1927, there was the daily hazard of the mineral tram through the silent streets, accompanied by yells of 'tincar'.
The tram tracks were gradually removed (apart from this section) but the tincar ran until 1935. East Pool and Agar Limited cast the acronym EPAL on their ingots (and in white brick, as everybody knows who passes the site today). In 1935 East Pool opened an aerial ropeway across country to Tolvaddon, which carried their ore until the mine closed in 1945. Taylors engine worked on to keep South Crofty dry, until 1954.
The poles which carried the tramwires survived until the mid-1960s as lamp posts between Camborne and Redruth.
Roy Hart
Frome North
Signalbox
Guy Vincent
Signalbox
Guy Vincent
Frome North Signalbox Diagram Dated 10th September 1974. From the Guy Vincent Collection. The line 'Up and Down Branch' is that to Whatley Quarry, formerly to Frome and Bristol.
Frome North Signal Box 1978 Copyright Chris Osment.
For a very useful source of information on Frome North signalbox and other boxes in the area Courtesy Great Western Society Bristol Group click here http://www.gwsbristol.org/hfrome.html
Penzance
Roger Winnen
Roger Winnen
Long Rock Depot Coal Stage and water tower built 1914. Copyright Roger Winnen
Taunton
John Cornelius
John Cornelius
Western Stalwart was brought into service on the 1st August 1962 and withdrawn less than twelve years later in April 1974. It met the cutters torch on the 24th February 1975 Copyright John Cornelius