Looe railway station
Encyclopedia
Looe railway station serves the twin towns of East and West Looe
, in Cornwall
, England
, United Kingdom
. The station is the terminus of the scenic Looe Valley Line
8.75 miles (14 km) south of Liskeard
.
at Moorswater
, the loop line from Coombe Junction
to Liskeard railway station
not opening until 25 February 1901.
The station was unusual for a terminus, in that there was just a single platform and track, with no loop for the locomotive to run round to the back of the train for the return journey. Instead, all trains continued empty to the carriage shed and engine shed
that was situated between the platform and the road bridge across the river. Goods sidings were provided between these sheds and the river, but much of the goods traffic was destined for Buller Quay beyond the approach to the bridge.
Looe signal box
was situated in a hut on the platform. It only had eight levers and was closed on 15 March 1964, after which the section to Coombe Junction
was controlled by issuing the train driver with a distinct wooden staff.
The sidings beyond the station were taken out of use in November 1963 and the line cut back by 110 yards on 28 April 1968; the police station now stands where the railway station once was. The zero milepost was situated near the seven-span road bridge across the river where the railway connected with the private sidings on Buller Quay. The original station was 14 chains (252 yards or 231m) north of this point, but the line has since been further shortened, so the mile post marking ¼ mile from the 'end' of the line is in fact opposite the platform and just 20 yards from the present stop block.
.
along the "Looe Valley Line
". There is no Sunday service in the winter.
line and is supported by marketing provided by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership
. The line is promoted under the "Looe Valley Line
" name.
The "Globe Inn" opposite the station is included in the Looe Valley Line rail ale trail
, along with seven other pubs in East and West Looe.
Under its Looe Valley Railway Company trading arm, the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership
has run a Summer ticket office at Looe station since 2004.
Looe
Looe is a small coastal town, fishing port and civil parish in the former Caradon district of south-east Cornwall, England, with a population of 5,280 . Looe is divided in two by the River Looe, East Looe and West Looe being connected by a bridge...
, in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The station is the terminus of the scenic Looe Valley Line
Looe Valley Line
The Looe Valley Line is an community railway from Liskeard to Looe in Cornwall, United Kingdom, that follows the valley of the East Looe River for much of its course...
8.75 miles (14 km) south of Liskeard
Liskeard railway station
Liskeard station serves the town of Liskeard in Cornwall, England. The station is west of Plymouth on the Cornish Main Line and it is the junction for the Looe Valley Line.-History:-Cornwall Railway:...
.
History
The Liskeard and Looe Railway was opened on 27 December 1860 to carry goods traffic; passenger trains started on 11 September 1879. The railway in those days connected with the Liskeard and Caradon RailwayLiskeard and Caradon Railway
The Liskeard and Caradon Railway was a mineral railway in Cornwall, in the United Kingdom, which opened in 1844 and closed in 1917. Its neighbour, the Liskeard and Looe Railway, opened in 1860 and is still operating as the Looe Valley Line.-History:...
at Moorswater
Moorswater railway station
Moorswater railway station was the centre of operations for the Liskeard and Caradon Railway and the Liskeard and Looe Railway. The two railways made an end on junction here...
, the loop line from Coombe Junction
Coombe railway station
Coombe Junction Halt railway station serves the villages of Coombe and Lamellion near Liskeard, Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated on the Looe Valley Line and operated by First Great Western...
to Liskeard railway station
Liskeard railway station
Liskeard station serves the town of Liskeard in Cornwall, England. The station is west of Plymouth on the Cornish Main Line and it is the junction for the Looe Valley Line.-History:-Cornwall Railway:...
not opening until 25 February 1901.
The station was unusual for a terminus, in that there was just a single platform and track, with no loop for the locomotive to run round to the back of the train for the return journey. Instead, all trains continued empty to the carriage shed and engine shed
Engine shed
Engine shed may refer to:* Engine shed, also called a motive power depot or roundhouse, a structure used for the maintenance of railway locomotives.* Engine Shed , a music and entertainment venue on the University of Lincoln's campus....
that was situated between the platform and the road bridge across the river. Goods sidings were provided between these sheds and the river, but much of the goods traffic was destined for Buller Quay beyond the approach to the bridge.
Looe signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
was situated in a hut on the platform. It only had eight levers and was closed on 15 March 1964, after which the section to Coombe Junction
Coombe railway station
Coombe Junction Halt railway station serves the villages of Coombe and Lamellion near Liskeard, Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated on the Looe Valley Line and operated by First Great Western...
was controlled by issuing the train driver with a distinct wooden staff.
The sidings beyond the station were taken out of use in November 1963 and the line cut back by 110 yards on 28 April 1968; the police station now stands where the railway station once was. The zero milepost was situated near the seven-span road bridge across the river where the railway connected with the private sidings on Buller Quay. The original station was 14 chains (252 yards or 231m) north of this point, but the line has since been further shortened, so the mile post marking ¼ mile from the 'end' of the line is in fact opposite the platform and just 20 yards from the present stop block.
Description
There is a single platform, on the left of trains arriving from Liskeard. It faces out across the estuary of the River LooeRiver Looe
The River Looe is a river in south-east Cornwall, which flows into the English Channel at Looe. It has two main branches, the East Looe River and the West Looe River....
.
Services
All trains run to LiskeardLiskeard railway station
Liskeard station serves the town of Liskeard in Cornwall, England. The station is west of Plymouth on the Cornish Main Line and it is the junction for the Looe Valley Line.-History:-Cornwall Railway:...
along the "Looe Valley Line
Looe Valley Line
The Looe Valley Line is an community railway from Liskeard to Looe in Cornwall, United Kingdom, that follows the valley of the East Looe River for much of its course...
". There is no Sunday service in the winter.
Community rail
The railway between Liskeard and Looe is designated as a community railCommunity rail
In the United Kingdom, a community rail line is a local railway which is specially supported by local organisations. This support is usually through a Community Rail Partnerships – comprising both the railway operator, local councils and other community organisations – or sometimes by...
line and is supported by marketing provided by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership
Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership
The Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership is the largest Community Rail Partnership in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1991 to promote the use of, and improvements to, rural railways in Devon and Cornwall, and also to promote the places served in order to improve the local economy.The...
. The line is promoted under the "Looe Valley Line
Looe Valley Line
The Looe Valley Line is an community railway from Liskeard to Looe in Cornwall, United Kingdom, that follows the valley of the East Looe River for much of its course...
" name.
The "Globe Inn" opposite the station is included in the Looe Valley Line rail ale trail
Rail ale trail
A rail ale trail is a marketing exercise in the United Kingdom that is designed to promote tourism to a rural area, by encouraging people to visit a series of pubs that are close to railway stations along a railway line. Participants are rewarded for visiting the pubs by train. In doing this they...
, along with seven other pubs in East and West Looe.
Under its Looe Valley Railway Company trading arm, the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership
Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership
The Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership is the largest Community Rail Partnership in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1991 to promote the use of, and improvements to, rural railways in Devon and Cornwall, and also to promote the places served in order to improve the local economy.The...
has run a Summer ticket office at Looe station since 2004.