North Cornwall Line including route to Bude and Okehampton

The North Cornwall Line
incl Bude

Credits, Many thanks to all contributors - please see a list on the home page.

Members and general visitors to the CRS site will be interested in visiting http://www.railmaponline.com From the opening page a full map of the UK can be accessed which can then be enlarged to show every railway line in the UK. Not just today's network but lines from the past have been overlaid. As you zoom in sidings and even tramways become visible.

A valuable tip from Guy Vincent.

If you do not see what you want try :-

Go to the Links page and select Cornwall Centre, then on their home page select 'Cornwall Image Bank'. There is a selection of photographs by John Vaughan, Arthur Trevan, George Ellis and others.

N.B Click on picture to obtain an enlargement and further details

North Cornwall Line. Well worth looking at. If you are looking for further details, the history and photographs of the North Cornwall Line it is suggest that you take a look at this excellent site http://www.northcornwallrailway.co.uk/

North Cornwall Line pictures. On starting out on this web site I had very little material, especially on the North Cornwall Line. However I was fortunate to travel on the North Cornwall Farewell tour, unfortunately my camera was also on a farewell journey. The shutter was sticking and the aperture jamming and as a result the slides were grossly over exposed - this I hope explains my poor images. Many thanks to Nigel Tregoning who has 'adjusted' the slides to achieve recognisable images.
Also more recently, in 2013, some excellent views of North Cornwall stations from Sid Sponheimers collection have come on the site.
If you want to see some excellent images of the North Cornwall try David's site :-http://www.flickr.com/photos/12549538@N08/sets/72157628649864207/ You'll find a view of the railtour train at Halwill, and also views of Ashwater, Bude, Egloskerry, Holdsworthy, Launceston, Otterham, Tower Hill, Wadebridge, and Whitestone & Bridgerule - KJ

Also well worth a google!
MEMORIES OF THE BARNSTAPLE-TORRINGTON-HALWILL JUNCTION LINES
I have recently viewed this in depth coverage of the above lines and think that they would be enjoyed by your users.
Best wishes Mick Bramich, South Brent, Devon.

Your attention is suggested - Phil Grant has sent us a very interesting article on exploring the North Cornwall Line 30 years on entitled 'Return Ticket to Port Isaac Road'. For want of a better place this follows at the very end of our collection of pictures in this section.

A most interesting picture taken in July 1976 of Sladesbridge - this carried the North Cornwall line over the main Wadebridge to Bodmin road. The bridge is seen just prior to demolition as can be seen from the removed embankment to the right. The car parked on the verge is the Bernard Mills chariot 'Western Empire'. Photograph copyright Bernard Mills

Sladesbridge - Climbing the gradient. A painting by W J Ryal. From a photograph taken by Derek Buttivant. The picture is located in the nearby highly recommended public house. Picture by permission of the Landlord.

Who'd have thought it. Mike Roach has a view of 30120 the T9 now preserved on the Bodmin and Wenford railway. Not sure where it is, but what a view! May61 Copyright Mike Roach.

St Kew Highway

From the Mike Roach collection

Courtesy the Mike Morant collection

St Kew Highway 80064 3rd October 1964 - Copyright Sid Sponheimer

St. Kew Highway 75025. 3rd October 1964 - Copyright Sid Sponheimer

St. Kew Highway 75025 on an up train meets a doen service 3rd October 1964 - Copyright Sid Sponheimer

St Key Highway. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Port Isaac Road

From the Mike Roach Collection

Port Isaac Road July 62 Copyright Mike Roach

Port Isaac Road. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Port Issac Rd SB interior -query (LSWR unknown JM coll GB) Copyright. (Image posted in response to a query by Chris Osment - Railwest)

Keith, Perhaps you could post this query on the CRS website please?

The above photo shows the interior of an ex-L&SWR signal-box. It was found by one of my contacts amongst some material relating to the Wadebridge area, but otherwise there was no information about its location or date, although almost certainly it was taken in BR days. After a lot of scrutiny of the possible options, it is believed to be Port Isaac Road box. Can anyone confirm this please and/or perhaps identify the signalman?
Regards, Chris Osment, (Railwest)

A response from Andrew Jones, Dear Keith, In answer to Chris Osment, the photograph is almost certainly Port Isaac Road, for two reasons. The telegraph post is in the exact position as shown in the David Wroe book ‘ An Illustrated History of the North Cornwall Railway’ page 138 and if you look carefully there is a ground signal outside the signal box, again this appears on page139.
Further from Chris Osment. A third clue is the (apparent) size of the frame having 17 levers. St Kew Highway was also 17 levers and also had a ground signal in roughly the same location, but the telegraph pole there was further away from the box and closer to the back of the platform. PIR was on the platform, whereas StKH was built on the ground at the foot of the ramp (see Sid’s photo in the CRS Gallery), but it’s difficult to tell the external construction from inside the box.
and --- Very welcome - more observations from Chris Osment. Observation on the interior view of Port Isaac Road signal-box. It must date prior to 24th September 1961 as that was when the Electric Train Tablet instrument (for working to St Kew Highway) seen at the end of the lever-frame was replaced by an Electric Key Token instrument.
Thanks Chris

Port Isaac Road from a train heading for Launceston 3rd October 1964 - Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Approaching Port Isaac from the Launceston direction 3rd October 1964 - Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Port Isaac Road on the occasion of a CRS minibus visit on the 8th July 1973 . Copyright Keith Jenkin. The young man in a yellow tee shirt is Kevin Jenkin.

Discovered recently. A lamp standard from Port Isaac Road station now located in a nearby house. Photographed by Andrew Jones in December 2016. Copyright

A nice clean ticket from the Alan Harris Collection

Andrew and Diane Jones make a visit
to Port Isaac Road in1985

Dear Keith, I have now uncovered a few photographs taken of Port Isaac Road Station taken in the mid 80’s. Post closure, W T Tucker and sons continued to operate at the station and to some extent preserved the buildings without any major alterations for almost 20 years.
The goods connection was clipped out of use in September 1964, but the business continued.
Diane and I visited the station when it came up for sale and we were permitted to take a few photographs which I have attached.
     Although the rails had been lifted in 1969, the station was almost entirely complete apart from the signal box and waiting room on the adjacent down platform.
   When we inspected the goods shed, an office similar in design to the signal box was still being used, (please see photograph.)
   I had hoped initially that the signal box had been re erected in the building after closure, but unfortunately checking photographs of the signal box confirmed this not to be the case.
   Port Isaac Road Station, given its isolated location was a busy station handling the rabbit and fish trade, which was shipped on the daily ‘Perisher’ from Padstow to Exeter.
   I haven’t visited the station since 1986, but noticed from a distance that the buildings are still in existence, I wonder if your members have any updates.

Best wishes Andrew and Diane

Port Isaac Road Station 1985 Copyright Andrew Jones

Port Isaac Road Station 1985 (2) Copyright Andrew Jones

Port Isaac Road Station front entrance 1985 Copyright Andrew Jones

Port Isaac Road Station booking office 1985 (1) Copyright Andrew Jones

Port Isaac Road Station Goods Yard 1985 Copyright Andrew Jones

Port Isaac Road Station Goods Shed 1985 Copyright Andrew Jones

Port Isaac Road Station Goods Office 1985 Copyright Andrew Jones (N.B. despite enlargement we were unable to read the note pinned to the structure)

With very many thanks indeed to Andrew and Diane Jones.

Tickets from Mike Bramwich.
I hope you may find a use for this page of tickets and stubs from my small collection.
The relevant ones for Cornwall were mainly gifted to me by the signalman at Port Isaac Road on the occasion of my short journey to Wadebridge behind a Bulleid pacific, possibly the ACE. The St. Austell ones
And the Bodmin stubs are probably related to the holiday weeks I spent at Port Isaac c.1960.
Two of the other examples are of the early use of long term parking at Barnstaple and Wadebridge stations.

Best wishes Mick Bramich, South Brent, Devon

Mike Bramwich Collection

Mike Bramwich Collection (2)

Mike Bramwich Collection (3)

Many thanks Mike.

Childhood Memories of life at Port Isaac Road.
Graham C Tucker

Port Isaac Road.The photo was taken probably in the 50s outside the main goods building where the office was. Copyright Graham Tucker. Probably in the 1950's. Note the immaculate appearance of the two lorries - a credit to the business.

W. T. Tucker & Son, Port Isaac Road Station
(Childhood memories by Graham C. Tucker)

My childhood memories are dominated by the family business owned and run by my late father William Howard Tucker from the early 50’s to the time I left Cornwall in 1965 at the age of 18 years.
Unfortunately I have no photographs of the business and the lorries, which is a shame but at the time it did not seem important to take photographs and more to the point I did not own a camera at the time.
My Grandfather, William Tremain Tucker started the business of W.T. Tucker & Son and the “Son” was my father William Howard Tucker.
My father, if I remember correctly what he told me, purchased the business from his father sometime in the mid 30’s. Basically then the business was a horse and cart and a store. From that he built it up, to what I remember in my early child hood days to be a thriving concern based at Port Isaac Road Station with offices and Iron Mongers shop at Central House in St. Teath, a store at St. Kew Highway station and a coal depot on the quay at Rock. There were a total of approximately 12 lorries and there must have been about 40-50 staff.
The business of W.T. Tucker & Son provided the farmers with their requirements such as animal foods, fertilizers, coal, livestock transportation and also purchased, corn, straw and wool. In fact anything the farmer needed would be done, providing there was some money in it of course!!
Most of my memories are of Port Isaac Road Station where the main business operated and the lorries were based. The following is an attempt to describe what and who were involved during the period from approximately 1957to 1964 as remembered by me from the age of 10 to 17 years.
Starting at the Trelill end of the yard we see the old railway goods store, still standing and in one corner was the office and a clerk who answered the telephone and made out the orders etc. My brother Tremain Tucker spent time in there also having joined the business after coming out of the army. There was a coal fire in the office that had to be lit, especially on cold days before my dad arrived in his Sunbeam Talbot 90 car. It was the responsibility of the yard foreman Mr. Jack Thomas to light the fire, and was he in trouble if the fire was not lit by the time my Dad arrived. I say ‘yard foreman” because Jack was always working in the yard or corn stores doing a variety of tasks from starting the big diesel engine that powered the corn store to feeding the yard cats with yellow cake!! In those days there was no such thing as job titles and job descriptions you had to do whatever you were told to do and that was that.
Any argument and you best “get down the road” as my dad used to say, although he very rarely sacked anyone that I can remember anyway.
Next to the railway goods store was the main corn store that consisted of a 3-storey building, which housed the main equipment for the production of flour and crushed oats. In the corn store there was a grinder for grinding wheat and barley into flour, a crusher for crushing grain and two big mixers for mixing pig meal.
The sacks of corn were raised from the floor to the 3rd story by a chain hoist and either stored or poured into the hoppers for grinding, crushing or mixing.
Next to the corn store was the engine house that contained the heart of the corn processing equipment, a large stationary diesel engine provided the power via a series of line shafts, pulleys and flat belts to the equipment.
The diesel engine was a single cylinder 65HP Peter Fielding engine which was purchased from a quarry in Wales and transported to Port Isaac Road Station. I remember my dad and the chief mechanic, Mr. Terry Gifford going to Wales to view the engine.
The engine was started by use of compressed air being blown into the engine cylinder. It being quite a complicated procedure to start the engine. First the 7 tons, 6 feet diameter flywheel had to be turned bringing the lubrication cup on the big end to the top of its stroke so the cup could be hand filled with lubricating oil. Then the flywheel had to be turned to another position, I assume it was the start of the induction stroke and diesel fuel was hand pumped in. Then the flywheel was turned again to the compression stroke, the compressed air was turned on, the flywheel would start to rotate and hopefully the engine would start. Jack Thomas would be operating a hand wheel which changed the compression in the cylinder and George Parsons hand pumping the diesel fuel until the engine fired and it was up and running on its own. Once the engine was running the exhaust was a good place to warm up the pasties.
In addition, the engine house contained smaller engines, one to drive the air compressor to fill up the compressed air tanks to start the large engine and a Lister Start-a-Matic diesel engine that drove a generator to provide power to the Station House where we lived from 1960 to 1964 approximately.
Next to the engine house there was another store for bags of corn and fertilizer. At the end of that warehouse was situated the “Crib Hut” where the staff had their crib and lunch.
Across the yard there was the garage where the lorries were maintained by Walter Mitchell and then later by Terry Gifford. I learnt a lot of car mechanics at an early age by watching what was going on in the garage. Might have been the start of my career that set me on the road as a professional engineer in the oil industry. If it was, I owe a lot to Walter and Terry.
To the right of the garage was another large warehouse and to the left of the garage was the washing down area for the cattle lorries and an area where the livestock container could be lifted off to make the lorry into a flat bottomed lorry for carrying bagged goods of corn, fertilizer, coal and anything else that needed transporting.
At the back of the yard was a railway siding where in earlier years railway trucks, delivering coal and fertilizer etc from up country, were shunted and parked. The coal was unloaded by hand onto an elevator and heaped up across from the siding, in what seemed to me back then, as a young boy, like mountains of coal. The trucks of coal provided me with a lucrative source of income from about 14 to 17 years. I persuaded my father to pay me a shilling a ton to unload a railway truck on a Saturday morning. If I started early in the morning and really worked hard I could do two 16 ton trucks in a day, 32 shillings for a days work in the early 60s was “millionaires wages” for me. Of course my little enterprise came to an end like so many other businesses when Beeching closed the North Cornwall railway line.
I will list the names of people whom I remember worked at Port Isaac Road Station for my dad and in no particular order.
Walter Mitchell, I was very upset when Walter passed away and shall never forget being given the news at a young age. This was my first experience of someone that was always very kind to me passing away. Others employees include Bill Finnemore, brothers Roy and Maurice Jones, Frank Williams, Andrew Peachy, Norman Cleave, George Parsons, Jack Thomas, Harold Provis, “Colonel” (John) Roach, Frank Pascoe, Bob Smith?? from Delabole, Stuart ?????. A Mr. Saunders who was a sales rep for south Cornwall. I remember meeting him at Wadebridge Cattle market on a Monday when he used to come to the office at the market, “a wooden shed” and report to my Dad on his weekly activities. There are many more, whose names escape me now, and I apologise if I have left anyone out that I should have remembered.
All of my school holidays I spent at the “yard” going out with the drivers on the lorries helping deliver goods to farm. I say helping, I probably got in the way more than I helped but no one complained.
Then I used to travel on the lorries to Plymouth, big adventure for me, where we delivered corn to the big millers like Ranks & Spillers then go to Fisons and pick up a load of fertilizer to bring back down to Port Isaac Road Station. “Must travel loaded both ways” as my dad used to say. He would be really pleased if he could get an order from a farmer for 10 tons of fertilizer that could be delivered straight to the farm to save handling twice and storing.
Then as I got older, my parents agreed to letting me go on the lorries to Avonmouth. Really going “up country” now. Similar operation as going to Plymouth corn up, fertilizer or cattle cake back. Not sure why we had to go to Avonmouth instead of Plymouth but that’s how it was.
The lorries used to travel even further up country when my dad got a contract with the Fatstock Marketing Cooperation (FMC) to pick up livestock from the farms and take them to the meat processing plants owned by companies like “Walls Sausages” up country. Special signs were made to go on the lorries saying these animals were being transported for the “Fatstock Marketing Cooperation”. My dad eventually agreed to these signs being put on the lorries providing the name of “W.T. Tucker & Son” was not covered up.
Regarding the lorries I remember at first they were mainly Bedfords. “Square nosed Befords with the bar on the front, probably ex army trucks, round nosed Bedfords with their distinctive whine, long wheel base platform lorries, cattle trucks and short wheel based tippers. The short wheel based tippers carried sea sand from Padstow harbour, which was spread on to the fields. There was a Commer lorry, a Dodge and a flat nose Ford. They were all painted teak brown and cream and were a trademark. Even our house was painted brown and cream much to the annoyance of my mother, she made my Dad change the colour scheme, her wish was granted and the kitchen became green and cream!! If these vehicles were still around today in good condition they would be worth a fortune.
Then I remember the day when new lorries were purchased. The first was a Ford Thames diesel cattle truck where the cattle container could be lifted off and the lorry used as a platform truck. There was also a departure from the color scheme, instead of brown & cream it had varnished wood veneer finish and it did look good and distinctive. Then followed 2 new Ford Thames Traders also with the painted veneer finish.
Mondays was one of the busy days of the week when the cattle lorries had to go to pick up livestock from the farms and get them to Wadebridge market on time. The telephone seemed to be continuously ringing at home on a Sunday with farmers making last minute bookings and changes.
I first learnt to drive a lorry at the age of 14 in the yard and also getting a good telling off from my brother Tremain for taking a lorry down the private entrance road to the station, going out on the main road to turn around and coming back up again.
So what was a thriving business is no more of course. The business was eventually sold around about 1964 to Mr. Bernard Rush from Camelford, who in turn sold the livestock haulage business to a Mr. Ken Horwell.
I also spent time at the station especially on a Saturday afternoon before the railway became the victim of Beeching. It was fascinating for me to watch the steam passenger trains packed with holiday makers from “up country” stopping at Port Isaac Road Station to let people off who were then either picked up by taxis or Prouts bus to be taken to their holiday destination. Also remember wooden boxes of fish packed with ice from Grimsby being dropped off the train. These were picked up by local fish mongers and probably sold as catch of the day. Their customers thinking the fish had come straight out the Cornish Sea rather than come down on the train from Grimsby.
There were 2 signalmen that I can recall, Ken Cory from St. Teath and Mitch ??? from St.Kew Highway and Brain Richards also from Port Isaac whom I believe was the booking clerk. There being no mains electricity at the station, all lighting at night was provided by paraffin Tilley lamps which I used to help light. I also was allowed the pull the levers under the close supervision of the signal man, Ken Cory.
In this computerized world of instant communications etc the memories described above must seem like something from the medieval age to our young generation but it was less than 60 years ago.
Now sadly it is all gone or perhaps not as modern technology has taken away the manual drudge of the physical work at places like Port Isaac Road Station.

Graham C. Tucker

Originally printed in the St Kew Magazine.

Graham adds :-
I lived in the Station House with my parents until about 1963 when my father sold the business to Bernard Rush who was based at Camelford Station.
More memories - I still have a flattened penny that I put on the line to let a train run over.
Even put my ear to the line to hear a train coming long before you could see it!!
Shock, horror playing on the railway line but there were not the many trains back then.

Graham is retired now and moved to St Just.

Oh what memories - many thanks indeed Graham

Delabole

Courtesy Mike Roach Collection

Courtesy Mike Collection

The sign is still safe and sound - courtesy of Ron Grace. Copyright.

Delabole - from the Mike Morant Collection

Delabole, an elderly gentleman has alighted from a down train. 3rd October 1964. Copyright Sid Sponheimer.

Delabole 3rd October 1964 - a view of the up platform from a down train. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

A single railcar seems more than adaquate for the number of passengers. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

The station staff about to give the 'right away' to the guard. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Delabole April 1972 Copyright Howard Sprenger. The boat tied up at the down platform is 672ft above high water!!

Delabole Quarry sidings. Just to the east of Delabole lay extensive sidings serving Delabole slate quarry. Delabole Quarry was once the deepest man-made pit in the world, but this is no longer the case due to massive open cast mines and quarries in America and Australia.The quarry was connected to a narrow gauge railway worked by steam and diesel locomotives to assist in moving the slate: this is thought to have begun before 1834 and continued in use until after 1987. The North Cornwall Railway provided a freight service from Delabole between 1893 and 1964 (passenger services ended in 1966). Quote from Wikipedia.

Delabole Slate Quarry. Proof of the standard gauge track alongside the quarry. In this view two inclined planes can be seen, used to haul material out of the quarry. 3rd October 1964. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

A wider view of the quarry showing not only the inclined planes but the extensive road network used get heavy machinery to and from the pit. 3rd October 1964. Copyright Sid Sponhiemer.

Delabole - a visit by Andrew Triggs on 7th February 2020

1&2 The Station Building at Delabole
3. The former road overbridge, with surviving parapet, looking towards Wadebridge, the cutting beyond infilled with Housing built on it
4. The Sidings Estate with infilled cutting and road built over the former trackbed, the station building being behind the white van in the distance
5 Delabole Slate Quarry, once a major part of freight on the line

Picture 1 Delabole7th February 2020. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

Picture 2 Delabole7th February 2020. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

Picture 3 Delabole7th February 2020. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

Picture 5 Delabole7th February 2020. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

Camelford

Camelford for Boscastle and Tintagel L&SWR Board. Seen at SVR Museum at Kiddr'r. 3rd January 2022 .Copyright Guy Vincent

Camelford station viewed from a down train on 3rd October 1964. Copyright Sid Sponheimer.

Camelford, the main station buildings which now forms a part of an extensive cycle museum. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

A solitary railcar waits time as station staff, or it the guard chats to the driver. The road ahead to Wadebridge is clear. A picture from the roadbridge seen in the view above. Copyright Sid Sponheimer.

Camelford for Boscastle & Tintagel @ Kidderminster SVR 14th May 2021 Copyright Steve Widdowson

Otterham

From the Mike Roach Collection

Courtesy the Mike Morant Collection

Otterham Station. Courtesy the Mike Morant Collection

Otterham station as seen from a down train on 3rd October 1964 Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Lonely Otterham station as seen from an approaching down train on 3rd October 1964 Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Otterham, as seen from the road overbridge which has since been demolished as part of widening the A39. This was the local station for U.S. Airforce personnel stationed at Davidstowe. Like the airfield this was a desolate place in the winter plagued by gales and mists. The summit of the line at eight hundred feet lay close to this station with an almost continuous fall towards Launceston. There was a small goods yard here. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Otterham Station House in 2010. Copyright Roger Geach.

Tresmeer

From the Mike Roach Collection

Courtesy the Mike Morant Collection

Subtle differences to the label above - bolder font. Courtesy Mike Morant Collection

Tresmeer. The guard walks back alongside a down train just to make sure that there are no passengers. 3rd October 1964 Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Tresmeer Station a station with very few dwellings nearby - just a small village called Splatt. An abbatoir was extablished in the goods yard to meet local demand. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Damaged signs at Tresmeer

Damage to the sign on the up platform at Tresmeer. Copyright Wayne Smith.

The 'grounded' sign has also suffered damage. 9th October 2020. Copyright Wayne Smith.

Can anyone please help Wayne with advice on how to make a lasting repair or advise him who he could contact to save these valuable relics. Replies to the CRS website or [email protected]

Dear Keith, please could you pass on this product to the gentleman who needs to repair the concrete railway sign, I have used this product and it works well.The most important thing is to keep the water out and treat the wire encased rods that are exposed with a rust inhibitor.

Best wishes Andrew and Diane

See link https://www.sylmasta.com/product/superfast-concrete-epoxy-113g/?v=79cba1185463

Egloskerry

Courtesy Mike Morant Collection

Note differing font style from the label above. Courtesy Mike Morant Collection

Eggloskerry station viewed from a down train on 3rd October 1964 Operation of the crossing gates here was a tiresome business being too far away from the signalbox seen at the far end of the platform. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Firewood, a true story.

The level crossing gates in the above station picture were demolished at one time, being converted to little better than firewood by some runaway wagons which had accidentally been let loose from a goods train being shunted at Otterham.
On another occasion, on the 1st of October 1966, the last day of the North Cornwall line, I alighted at Egloskerry where a group of workmen were busy demolishing a timber cabin on the up platform. Amongst the smashed timbers were two Southern Railway signs, a small one and a larger one. I enquired as to what was to happen to the signs - "Scrap", I was told, "Help Yourself". Not being greedy I reached down for the smaller of the two signs, but before I could reach it it had been whisked away by another souvenir hunter! I was not to be cheated out of the larger sign and this was retrieved, wrapped in a current edition of the 'West Briton' newspaper, and stowed away under the seat for the rest of the journey. Above is a picture of that sign taken in 2014.

Egloskerry station buildings on the up platform. 27th April 1963 Copyright Mike Roach

The North Cornishman railtour thunders through on its return journey from Padstow and Wadebridge to Exeter St Davids. At its head is the famous T9 Number 120 - now preserved. 27th April 1963 Copyright Mike Roach

Egloskerry. The signal box was located at the Launceston end of the station and operated the points of the loop and of course access to the goods yard which was from the Launceston end of the station. There was a boarded level crossing to give pedestrian access to the down platform, seen here on the left. The level crossing gates were operated by hand necessitating a walk along the up platform. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Egloskerry - Signalling - additional information kindly supplied by Chris Osment.

Looking at the interior photo of the signal-box, it would seem that the road has been set and the signals are 'off' for a Down train. The lever nearest the camera standing almost upright must be the push-pull lever 11 which worked the shunt signals in/out of the siding.
Egloskerry was one of those places rather like (say) Edington Junction, and to a lesser extent Eggesford or Halwill, where the signal-box was at the other end of the station from the level-crossing, yet bolted the gates directly rather than by a local ground-frame at the gates. Contrary to the usual practice, it is clear from the locking table that the Gate Bolt had to be pulled to lock the gates across the road, rather than locking them when it was normal.
The signal diagram shows that the wicket gates at the level-crossing were worked by a separate lever located at the back of the platform somewhere between the station building and the crossing. I wonder if any photographs of that lever exist?
Alan Jones mentioned about the exchange of 'tokens', but if he was there in the 1950s then block-working was still Tyer's No 3 tablet instruments in both directions. The sections to Launceston and Tresmeer both changed to No 6 instruments in 1960 and Key Token working only arrived in 1965 when Tresmeer closed and the section extended to Camelford.
Regards
Chris Osment

ETT Launceston-Egloskerry 23 Copyright Chris Osment

EGLOSKERRY Egloskerry-Tresmere. Copyright Chris Osment

EKT Egloskerry-Camelford. Copyright Chris Osment.

Many thanks to Chris Osment.

Launceston

Launceston St Stephens. A very colorful view of Launceston's stations - in the foreground is the Southern Goods yard, then the entrance to the Southern station. Beyond this is the GWR terminus of its line from Plymouth via Tavistock. N.B. This card was posted at 6.30PM on July 3rd 1911. Many thanks to Alan Harris for this picture from his collection.

The back of the above postcard. It is interesting to note that Kelly is a small hamlet about 4 1/2 miles east of Launceston, Lifton post office is about 4 miles from Launceston. but 2 1/2 from Kelly. One wonders how long the delivery would have taken? Did it go by train? Alan Harris collection

Launceston with 75025 on an up train. This picture on 3rd October 1964 by Sid Sponheimer Copyright

Another view of 75025 as it waits the 'right away' from Launceston. 3rd October 1964. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

A down service stands at Launceston. 80064 at the head. The former GWR station, isolated until 1943, stands to the left of the double sided signalbox. Copyright Sid Sponheimer.

Launceston station as seen through the lens of Sid Sponheimers camera. The Great Western station lay to the left. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Launceston captured by Sid Sponheimer. Copyright.

A charming image to show that somebody cared about the flowers - the train is just arriving at Launceston 6th August 1960 Copyright Mike Roach

Launceston GWR

Launceston (GWR) seen here on 3rd October 1964. It had lost its passenger service with effect from 30th June 1952 when trains from Plymouth, Tavistock and Lydford were diverted into the Southern station. It still looks prim and proper during the period while it was still open for goods trains. The goods trains ceased on 28th February 1966. Copyright Sid Sponheimer.

Luckily for us Sid Sponheimer chose to photograph the former GWR station from the approach road. Note the period road transport in evidence. The cannopy of the Southern station seen on the extreme right indicates the closeness of the two stations. 3rd October 1963 Copyright

Beyond Launceston

The North Cornwall Railtour on 1st October 1966 went on over the Cornwall/Devon border to traverse the metals to Halwill Junction, to Bude and to Okehampton. The Devon stations in Devon are shown in the Devon section. On the Halwill to Bude section of the railtour we crossed over the border at Whitestone & Bridgerule- this station being on the county border. Bude is most definitely in Kernow. Whitestone & Bridgerule, and Bude follow below.

Whitstone & Bridgerule - the station here was approached over viaducts from both directions

8039 calls at Whitstone and Bridgerule 29th August 1964 Copyright Sid Sponheimer.

Bude

An interesting ticket from far away places. Exeter Central, then named Queen Street. -The journey would have taken about three hours. From the Mike Morant Collection

Bude on the 29th August 1964 80039 receives some attention before setting off. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Bude shed on the 29th August 1964 with 31855 being turned ready for the journey back to Okehampton and beyond. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Bude station - the smart exterior. From the Mike Morant Collection

Bude - from the Mike Morant Collection

Bude in DMU days. From the Mike Morant Collection

Bude, the shed and signalbox. From the Mike Morant Collection

From the family album of Kevin Jones. Picture taken by Kevin Jones of standard 82019 at Bude in 1960. Kevin's Dad and sister watch on as coupling up takes place. Copyright Kevin Jones Steamindex N.B. This loco was built 26th September 1952 at Swindon Works. Its 1948 Shed was 72A Exmouth Junction and its Last Shed was 70A Nine Elms. It was withdrawn 9th July 1967

8th August , 1963 82010 Built at Swindon stands in Bude Station. Copyright Michael Forward

Fatal accident on the Bude branch

I also came across this very sad story from seventy years ago during an internet trawl. I've never heard anything about this in the past but I suppose it's the sort of event that people don't want to remember. https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/MoT_Hopworthy1950.pdf

Many thanks to Phil Hawke for that sad but interesting record of a serious accident.

The Wharf Branch - Andrew Jones Returns in 2019

Bude Sand Railway
Andrew and Diane Jones

Dear Keith and Valerie,
I had read about the sand railway before and the remains that were uncovered a few years back but didn't realise that there was a substantial length embedded in the canal embankment.
Although not the original rails they date back to 1924 and were last used in the 40's. Interestingly the sleepers are steel and considering the corrosive atmosphere they have stood up well.
Bude was very busy on the day we visited and I could only think that Beeching did very little to promote North Cornwall which until recently had suffered for many years in the aftermath of such short sighted decisions.
Very best wishes Andrew and Diane

Many thanks Andrew - another valuable bit of history.

30 years on - exploration of the North Cornwall Line.
A return ticket to Port Isaac Road.
A very welcome reflection by Phil Grant.

A Return Ticket to Port Isaac Road!

The stations of the North Cornwall Railway

My interests are in railway architecture, namely the stations that the railway company served. Therefore, along with my quest for collecting railway tickets, the seeking out of lonely stations or wayside halts has been my railway interest for over 30 odd years.

30 years ago, I set out to discover and locate the stations of the North Cornwall Railway (NCR), the LSWR’s far flung railway outpost. Staying at the fantastic National Trust holiday location of Doyden House, this was a perfect opportunity for exploration! First on the list was the romantically named Port Isaac Road. Would we be able to find it? Situated some 4 miles from the village it served, surely no locals could have used it much? The quest began, on a hot July Sunday afternoon. It took quite a time to find Port Isaac Road! If you did not know what to look for, you’d easily miss it. However, situated on a lonely cross-country road near Pendoggett, a large and impressive stone railway over bridge gave the game away. Port Isaac Road had, after a lot of searching, been found!

There stood the large station master’s house, looming high on the embankment, looking more like the ‘Bates Motel’ from that famous early 1960s film Psycho, than an LSWR station. A winding weed ridden track led up to the completely deserted station. All was pretty much intact. Both the goods shed and station was intact, they having been well preserved after 1966. Port Isaac Road had become home to the local coal merchant, and thankfully it remained very much as a railway station. The only sign of dereliction was the smashed bedroom window, not caused by vandalism, but by the fury of the savage Atlantic gales! Port Isaac Road was constructed in a highly exposed location! The ticket office still contained the ticket window, and fireplaces. All that was missing were the Southern, later Western region poster boards, associated railway enamel signs and of course human life! The station master’s house was in reasonable condition. However, the parlour ceiling was coming down, evidence that the roof was now not watertight. Exploration over, and with the ringing of the Station Master’s doorbell in the air, it was time to find the other North Cornwall stations. However, the haunting atmosphere of Port Isaac Road has had a lasting impression on me!

Delabole was next, more urban in nature, and perhaps one of the best sited NCR stations, standing in the heart of its famous slate mining community. The station site was overgrown but with both platforms remaining, the station master’s house showed some signs of habitation. However, the booking hall was boarded up and hadn’t seen a coat of paint since the vengeful Western Region took control! A sad sight, and after a photograph it was time to move on, thinking that surely Delabole and its vast empty site would make a prime housing estate, and within a few years, the once fine station, would be no more!

Camelford station still stood and appeared to be as inconvenient to the town’s inhabitants as ever. It still retained part of its LSWR canopy. This was one of the few stations, in this part of North Cornwall, to warrant such a luxury. The station, in the summer of 1990, was still a local fertiliser firm’s storage base, and one presumes that it was the owner’s Jaguar, now using the canopy as some sort of wind break or car port.

Otterham station still retained its buildings, standing braving this wild windswept location. It was only the Atlantic Highway (A39) which showed a sign of life. Even in high summer the campsite, which had spread across the former station site, was empty. However, the station could still boast some of its original LSWR ‘garden seat’ benches, and how I wish I could have given one a new home!!!

Next, and perhaps the prettiest of all the line’s stations, comes Tresmeer, like all NCR stations, it was built to the standard LSWR design, but here, as at Egloskerry, brick was the preferred building material. The station again was built many miles from the place it purported to serve. However, it was ideally sited in the middle of the tiny hamlet of Splatt! Tresmeer station was beautifully maintained; even its 1970s extensions did not look too out of place! The station retained its SR concrete signposts, plus a host of other railwayana. All that was required was the track and a train!

Days later, it was time to find St. Kew Highway, another delightfully named NCR station. Sadly, the Atlantic Highway, which was the raison d’etre for the station’s location and community, has split the station from the sizable community. Again, like Port Isaac Road the station stands aloft, but the growth of conifers hid much of it from view!

Wadebridge was a splendidly restored station and the John Betjeman visitor centre is a super venue for the local community. Many of the elderly day visitors chatted about how they lamented the loss of their station and none were too keen to praise the Doctor and his mighty axe!

A trip along the Camel estuary must be today, as beautiful as it was when the Atlantic Coast Express would haul its coaches over the girder bridge at Little Petherick Creek. I can highly recommend a walk or cycle ride from Wadebridge to ‘Steinstow’, as Padstow has been dubbed! Here the final outpost of Waterloo control still stood marooned in a sea of day trippers’ cars. The impressive NCR station, sadly shorn of its canopy, is nevertheless a useful asset to the town council. Looming over the car filled site is the sombre Metropole Hotel. How many passengers left the station to make this their first port of call?

So, there was my summer 1990 odyssey of surveying and exploring the NCR stations. Surely by 2011, it was time to explore and revisit the line!

One station I never explored was Egloskerry, now a fantastic Bed and Breakfast, run by Moira and Rod, who hail from my home county of Hampshire. They provide visitors with an amazing B&B experience. Where else can one eat their Full English breakfast, just metres from where the mighty A.C.E. would thunder through!

Moira and Rod have created a haven for any railway enthusiast and their partners. The station has been lovingly restored and boasts a wealth of railway artefacts including an early BR parcels van, and the original platform sign and lamp! However, what interested me was the opportunity to explore the station master’s house. Again, built to an almost mirror image of Port Isaac Road, but like Tresmeer, built of brick. Certainly, any station master living in an NCR station lived in utter luxury! The rooms were generous and light. High moulded plaster ceilings were everywhere, with a generous parlour and living room, surrounding the scullery was a courtyard providing accommodation for the WC and coal/wash house.

It was time to explore and see what had happened to those NCR stations in the intervening years!

First stop was Tresmeer. Still in a delightful situation, with only a garage extension to the former porter’s lobby being the most significant change. The house is now rented out and there is evidence that the new occupants enjoy the delightful gardens, judging by the extensive garden furniture!

Otterham, is now in a sorrier state than in 1990. The campsite has been replaced by a permanent mobile home complex, while the former station lies hidden beside the ever busy ‘Atlantic Highway’ A39 road. Attempts at modernising the station abound the place, but it all seems rather haphazard.

Camelford, although transformed from my visit in 1990, is now home to a very interesting cycling museum. The canopy has been swallowed up by a rather ugly concrete extension. However, the station is well worth a visit, especially if one is in the area.

Delabole station remains in good condition, in fact in a much better state than in 1990. However, its surroundings have been completely engulfed by a modern housing development. At the time of my visit the former station was on the market for £230,000 and certainly offered generous accommodation to a family. The nearby slate quarry has an excellent museum and you can still marvel at the huge hole from were Delabole slate is quarried.

On to Port Isaac Road, and just as previously, it proved just as difficult to find! Approaching it from St Teeth direction, the station still sits in an exposed location, dominating the surrounding area. The local sheep and new born lambs were very interested in our visit, and seemed happy to share their home, as I snapped a few shots of what looks like a well restored station, painted in Southern cream and green! I had previously arranged with the new owners, to visit Port Isaac Road. I was very welcomed and explored the site for an hour. The former booking office area was being beautifully restored into living accommodation for one member of the family. The restored ticket office window was to have pride of place and a feature in the newly recreated bathroom! We gave our fond farewell to my favourite NCR station and travelled off to see what the station at St. Kew Highway now resembled and to meet a local catering celebrity!

Aunt Avice, spent, what sounded like an idyllic childhood, living in the station house at St. Kew Highway. Up to her arms in flour, whilst making another mouth watering selection of homemade Cornish pasties, she had us enthralled by her tales of how she spent many a happy hour watching the trains pass and wondering whether her mother’s best china, would one day be shaken off the living room dresser, as a freight train roared through!
Today Aunt Avice, lives in the converted goods shed, next to the station and she is sad to witness her former childhood home slip further into decay!
So, with our journey complete, what better way to finish a tour but buying one of Aunt Avice’s yummy pasties and a piece of homemade fruit cake!

So even if you are not interested in railways, who could resist sampling Aunt Avice’s tempting wares! You’ll find her shop at the St. Kew Highway garage on the A39. Do pay her and her friendly team a visit! You will not regret it!

Footnote: I was made very welcome at Port Isaac Road and I am very grateful for the time given to view what is now a PRIVATE home. The new owner is very appreciative that their home was once a PUBLIC railway station, but they and all the other owners do wish that people, wishing to view their home, made prior arrangements and did not trespass over their home and PRIVATE property.

Tresmeer station, from the roadbridge at the Egloskerry end of the station. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

Tresmeer Up platform and station nameboard Copyright Andrew Triggs

Otterham - in its operations state. Copyright the late Sid Sponheimer

Camelford Copyright the late Sid Sponheimer

Camelford station National Cycle museum. Copyright Andrew Triggs

Delebole - The north Cornwall Farewell Railtour calls. 1st October 1966. Copyright Keith Jenkin.

Thanks to Sid we have a picture of Delabole Quarry 3rd October 1964 Copyright the late Sid Sponheimer

Port Isaac Road complete with sheep. A delightful picture. Copyright Phil Grant

Port Isaac Road . 8th June 1979. Copyright Roger Winnen

Port Isaac Road Booking Window Copyright Phil Grant

A view through a new window of the former booking office area. Copyright Phil Grant

St. Kew Highway 75025 with plenty of steam. 3rd October 1964 - Copyright the late Sid Sponheimer

Many thanks to Phil Grant for his memories and some of the photographs and thanks also thanks to all those who contributed.

Views taken at Padstow - 1972 to 1979 - Howard Sprenger- Copyright.