Serious incident -
Delays and cancellations were encountered on the Cornish Main Line this morning at Gwinear Road.
The 09.35 Voyager from Penzance to Manchester struck a person at about 09.50 on the level crossing at Gwinear Road. This train was delayed by 46 mins. The 10.00 Cornishman service Penzance to London Paddington was cancelled from Penzance, passengers being conveyed by buses to Truro, however later at 11.11 this service depart from Penzance. The 10.46 service was also cancelled and the incoming service the 06.22 Bristol Parkway to Penzance terminated at Truro.
At present we don't have any information on the person struck by the train.
Delays and cancellations were encountered on the Cornish Main Line this morning at Gwinear Road.
The 09.35 Voyager from Penzance to Manchester struck a person at about 09.50 on the level crossing at Gwinear Road. This train was delayed by 46 mins. The 10.00 Cornishman service Penzance to London Paddington was cancelled from Penzance, passengers being conveyed by buses to Truro, however later at 11.11 this service depart from Penzance. The 10.46 service was also cancelled and the incoming service the 06.22 Bristol Parkway to Penzance terminated at Truro.
At present we don't have any information on the person struck by the train.
Roger's Spot
Through the Cornwall Railway Society Website columns and pictures you'll all know of Roger Winnen - now if you'd like to learn a little more of his life history click below and scroll down.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-29816152
Many thanks to Nigel Tregoning for spotting this.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-29816152
Many thanks to Nigel Tregoning for spotting this.
Lonely Luckett
Mike Morant
Mike Morant
Said to be one of the loneliest stations in Cornwall situated high up with wide ranging views. 160126 Luckett station - courtesy the Mike Morant Morant Collectiion
Redruth Junction Signal Box
Recollections of the late Cyril Hitchens
Recollections of the late Cyril Hitchens
Redruth Junction Signal Box was situated a short distance west of Redruth Station and, in my day, controlled a crossover and the access to West Yard, one of the oldest track formations in the country as this was the site of the Redruth terminus of the 1838 Hayle Railway. The box, a typical brick built GW design with external stairs projecting at the Carn Brea end, had a magnificent cast sign REDRUTH JUNCTION. In the early 1960s it was only open on an "as required" basis for coal traffic to Hampton's Coal Merchants. It had a 17 lever frame.
One day in the early 60s I had to work the middle turn at Drump Road. I reported for duty at Redruth Station at 11am and phoned the early turn man at Drump to see if there was any traffic for Junction. I'm told there are four trucks of coal for West Yard and empties to pick up so I walked across the viaduct to Junction Signalbox and switched in, working with Carn Brea Yard and Drump Lane. The box is clean and tidy with shining brasses and the unmistakeable, characteristic smell-a mixture of oil and polish; but it doesn't have the personal touches and home comforts of the regular boxes. After a few minutes, three beats on the bell from Drump asked me to take the down pick up freight, K headcode which I accepted. Soon it appeared, travelling slowly down the down the main line behind one of the green North British spoked wheeled diesels, D6312, which later would have the dubious distinction of operating the last passenger train on the Helston Branch.
I brought him to a stand at my signal and with a flurry of bells and a clash of levers, let him back through the crossover and into the siding exchanging a cheerful greeting with the guard and shunter as they passed the box. Once onto the siding, under the protection of the junction signal, the crew are left to their own devices, the points in the yard itself being hand operated. That day the train was short enough to shunt without fouling the main line, which was just as well, because the Paddington was about. Leaving the shunter to cut off the brake van, berth the loaded wagons and pick up the empties, I turned my attention to the main line. Carn Brea Yard offered the up express and it soon passed the box, slowing for the Redruth stop, hauled by D816 Eclipse with a 10 coach train in a mixture of colours. Apart from occasions during Sunday single line working, not many main line trains were controlled from here.
Soon, shunting completed, D6312 and its train of empties inched down the rather rough track towards the stop signal. I exchanged the necessary communication with the adjacent boxes and let the train out onto the down main where it headed off in the direction of Carn Brea to run round. When it arrived at Carn Brea I pulled off the main line signals, switched out, locked up the box and walked back over the viaduct, past Redruth Station, through the tunnel in time to relieve the early turn signalman at Drump.
During the walk back I reflected that the yard had been quite busy following the demise of coastal shipping at Portreath-however time moves on and the box was replaced by a ground frame on 16th October 1966 which in turn was taken out of use with all the siding trackwork on Valentines Day 1968.
C. H.
One day in the early 60s I had to work the middle turn at Drump Road. I reported for duty at Redruth Station at 11am and phoned the early turn man at Drump to see if there was any traffic for Junction. I'm told there are four trucks of coal for West Yard and empties to pick up so I walked across the viaduct to Junction Signalbox and switched in, working with Carn Brea Yard and Drump Lane. The box is clean and tidy with shining brasses and the unmistakeable, characteristic smell-a mixture of oil and polish; but it doesn't have the personal touches and home comforts of the regular boxes. After a few minutes, three beats on the bell from Drump asked me to take the down pick up freight, K headcode which I accepted. Soon it appeared, travelling slowly down the down the main line behind one of the green North British spoked wheeled diesels, D6312, which later would have the dubious distinction of operating the last passenger train on the Helston Branch.
I brought him to a stand at my signal and with a flurry of bells and a clash of levers, let him back through the crossover and into the siding exchanging a cheerful greeting with the guard and shunter as they passed the box. Once onto the siding, under the protection of the junction signal, the crew are left to their own devices, the points in the yard itself being hand operated. That day the train was short enough to shunt without fouling the main line, which was just as well, because the Paddington was about. Leaving the shunter to cut off the brake van, berth the loaded wagons and pick up the empties, I turned my attention to the main line. Carn Brea Yard offered the up express and it soon passed the box, slowing for the Redruth stop, hauled by D816 Eclipse with a 10 coach train in a mixture of colours. Apart from occasions during Sunday single line working, not many main line trains were controlled from here.
Soon, shunting completed, D6312 and its train of empties inched down the rather rough track towards the stop signal. I exchanged the necessary communication with the adjacent boxes and let the train out onto the down main where it headed off in the direction of Carn Brea to run round. When it arrived at Carn Brea I pulled off the main line signals, switched out, locked up the box and walked back over the viaduct, past Redruth Station, through the tunnel in time to relieve the early turn signalman at Drump.
During the walk back I reflected that the yard had been quite busy following the demise of coastal shipping at Portreath-however time moves on and the box was replaced by a ground frame on 16th October 1966 which in turn was taken out of use with all the siding trackwork on Valentines Day 1968.
C. H.