The nearly finished extension to the Long Rock T.M.D.
Roger Salter
Roger Salter
171128a Under a dramatic sky 57604 Idles in the new shed whilst the 1A83 10.00 Penzance to Paddington passes by. Copyright Roger Salter
171128b 57604 Pendennis Castle with the Night Riviera stock in the nearly completed maintenance shed at Long Rock. Copyright Roger Salter
171128d The new depot looking eastwards towards Marazion. Copyright Roger Salter
171128f The 10.46 Penzance to Plymouth passes the sheds washplant. Copyright Roger Salter
171128e The 10.46 Penzance to Plymouth service passes the depot. Copyright Roger Salter
Gwinear Road
Alan Harris
Alan Harris
Usually at a junction with a main line it is the branch line which curves away from the main. However this was not the case at Gwinear Road where the main line is on a sharp curve and the first few chains of the branch was dead straight. From the Alan Harris Collection
Zooming in on the above picture there is lot of interest. Note the signalbox situated on the end of the the island platform, note the extremely wide crossing gates - the signalman often had to call for assistance from station staff to move these during periods of high winds. Note also that there appears to be a train standing behind the gates. There are wagons standing in the cattle pens, the extensive goods yard was to the right on the downside of the main line. From the Alan Harris Collection
Reproduced with permission of the National Library of Scotland. The main line to Penzance off to the left, the main line east to the upper right, the branch line to Helston bottom right. The bridge from which the above photograph was taken is clearly seen on the Helston branch. Note the extensive sidings.
Another very welcome footnote from Roy Hart.
The Gwinear Road picture dates from about 1960. The original Gwinear Road West box was on the up side (1887). It was replaced by a new box on the island platform in 1915, coinciding with the completion of double line from Hayle. The gates were very wide, of course (3 tracks) and were held in place by 2 mechanical stops on each side instead of the normal one. I remember as a teenager being allowed to work the gates and having to throw my whole weight on the wheel. No wonder they had to bring a porter out to help push the gates when the winds blew. Gwinear were the first automatic half-barrier gates in Cornwall, but not the first barriers (that was Long Rock, 1961).
The cattle pens (on left) fell out of use for their designated purpose after the war, but by the time of the picture, they were used for wagons of sand, several of which can be seen.
The short spur in the foreground was used for stabling the Helston goods brake van.
Till the day it closed, Gwinear Road had no running water:it was delivered by train. Even the big 1930s house next to the station (not the railway house shown in the picture) had to rely on a well. Shunting engines had to go to Praze for water (which is why Praze had a column).
These were the days when residents of Camborne-Redruth had to go to Gwinear Road or Truro to catch the Cornish Riviera Express!
Many thanks indeed Roy.
The Gwinear Road picture dates from about 1960. The original Gwinear Road West box was on the up side (1887). It was replaced by a new box on the island platform in 1915, coinciding with the completion of double line from Hayle. The gates were very wide, of course (3 tracks) and were held in place by 2 mechanical stops on each side instead of the normal one. I remember as a teenager being allowed to work the gates and having to throw my whole weight on the wheel. No wonder they had to bring a porter out to help push the gates when the winds blew. Gwinear were the first automatic half-barrier gates in Cornwall, but not the first barriers (that was Long Rock, 1961).
The cattle pens (on left) fell out of use for their designated purpose after the war, but by the time of the picture, they were used for wagons of sand, several of which can be seen.
The short spur in the foreground was used for stabling the Helston goods brake van.
Till the day it closed, Gwinear Road had no running water:it was delivered by train. Even the big 1930s house next to the station (not the railway house shown in the picture) had to rely on a well. Shunting engines had to go to Praze for water (which is why Praze had a column).
These were the days when residents of Camborne-Redruth had to go to Gwinear Road or Truro to catch the Cornish Riviera Express!
Many thanks indeed Roy.
Gwinear Road from the 25 inch map 1905 app. Reproduced with permission of the National Library of Scotland. Note signal box in original position to the north of the up line. From the Alan Harris Col
Yeovil Railway Centre
John Cornelius
John Cornelius
Copyright John Cornelius