Maritime Line
Encyclopedia
The Maritime Line is a railway line that runs in the valley of the River Fal
from Truro
(the county town) to Falmouth
on the south coast of Cornwall
, United Kingdom
.
railway from Plymouth
to Falmouth
. The purpose of the scheme was to link London
with Falmouth, from where packet ship
s sailed to destinations in Europe, Africa, and America.
The section from Plymouth to Truro opened on 4 May 1859, and the inhabitants of Falmouth soon put pressure on the company to extend the line to their town as originally intended. The extension opened on 24 August 1863 by which time the packet ships had been diverted elsewhere.
After the West Cornwall Railway
was converted to broad gauge in 1867 the Truro to Falmouth line tended to be operated as a branch, with the trains from London Paddington
operating to Penzance
instead.
The original stations on the line were at , (known as Perran until 19 February 1864), , and Falmouth (Now Falmouth Docks). was added on 1 July 1925, and (originally known as The Dell) opened on 7 December 1970. the line terminated at the Dell for five years before reopening to the original terminus.
on 1 July 1889. Following the amalgamation, plans were put in place for conversion to standard gauge
, which took place over the weekend of 21 May 1892. The Great Western Railway was nationalised into British Railways from 1 January 1948.
Train operating company
for a few years until the company split. From 14 October 2001, the Maritime Line became the responsibility of Wessex Trains
.
When the franchise became due for renewal, the tender was won by First Great Western
and the company took over the operation on 1 April 2006.
, an organisation formed in 1991 to promote railway services in the area. The line is promoted by many means such as regular timetable and scenic line guides, as well as leaflets highlighting leisure opportunities such as walking, birdwatching, and visiting country pubs.
The Maritime Line rail ale trail
was launched in 2003 to encourage rail travellers to visit pubs near the line. Of the 14 participating pubs, four are in Truro, one in Perranwell, three in Penryn, and six in Falmouth. 5, 10 or 14 stamps collected in the Rail Ale Trail leaflet entitle the participant to claim special Maritime Line Rail Trail souvenir merchandise.
Wessex Trains
painted a Class 150
two-car DMU
(number 150265) in coloured pictures promoting the line and named it The Falmouth Flyer. The unit continued in service with First Great Western when the company won the franchise but it has now been repainted in the standard fleet colours. While in the pictorial livery the worked throughout the southwest, not just on its named line.
The branch was designated by the Department for Transport
as a community rail
line in September 2006. This aims to increase the number of passengers and reduce costs. Strategies for investigation include more effective revenue collection, a passing loop, improved bus links, and working with ferry operators and colleges in the area.
The line was originally dual track at Penryn, evidence of this can still be see at Penryn station, where two platforms are still visible. The Beeching Report
in the 1960s instigated the reduction of the line here from two to one. In 2004 a proposal was put forward to reinstate a passing loop into the line, to allow for a doubling of service frequency.. Funding was agreed with £4.67million coming from European Union
funds, £2.5million from Cornwall Council, and £600,000 from Network Rail
. The new 400 metres (437.4 yd) loop was installed over two long weekends in October 2008 and work on the platform extension was also started. The loop was brought into use ahead of schedule and to budget, with the formal opening by Kevin Lavery, the Chief Executive of Cornwall Council, taking place at Penryn station on 18 May 2009. Works included a new car park and waiting shelter at Penryn, in addition to the new loop, signalling and platform lengthening.
– Perranarworthal
– Penryn
– Falmouth
.
, normally from the bay platform that is reached by turning left and walking along the main platform beyond the footbridge. The trains join the main line for the first half mile to Penwithers Junction, passing through the 70 yards (64 m)-long Higher Town Tunnel on the way. At this point the line to Penzance
curves away to the right; the line to Falmouth was originally the Cornwall Railway
main line and so runs straight ahead while the Penzance line was built by the West Cornwall Railway Company
. The Maritime Line today only has a junction
with the westbound track; trains running towards Truro do so on the "wrong" line which can be a bit disconcerting if a train from Penzance is arriving at the same time. The line from Penwithers to Falmouth Docks is single track, with the exception of the passing loop at Penryn.
From the tunnel the line emerges into the countryside outside Truro
. The small excavated area of land on the left is a Local Nature Reserve
which supports rare plants due to its unusual position in a triangle of rail routes - ours, the disused continuation of the West Cornwall Railway to the riverside at Newham, and a never-built route allowing Cornwall Railway trains to reach Newham. The route to Newham is now a cycle path
round the edge of the city.
One and a half miles from the junction we enter Sparnick Tunnel which is a little over a quarter of a mile long. Although the line has only ever had a single track, most of the engineering, including the tunnels, was designed to carry a second one and this gives a spacious feel to the route.
The line, which has been heading south-westwards, now swings around towards the south and passes high above the silted-up Restronguet Creek
on Carnon viaduct
. This valley was the route of the Redruth and Chasewater Railway
down to quays at Devoran
, about a mile beyond our viaduct. It is now part of the Mineral Tramway Trails
.
Another half mile brings us to Perranwell railway station
, nearly four miles from Truro. A modern shelter is situated on the platform, built in a style inspired by older railway buildings. As with all stations except for Truro, the platform is on our left as we travel towards Falmouth. In the forecourt is the old Cornwall Railway goods shed
; a cast iron sign carrying the station name, and a dried up drinking fountain also hark back to earlier days.
The line now swings west, passes over the short Perran Viaduct and then south again along the hillside above Perranwell village before passing through the 374 yards (342 m)-long Perran Tunnel.
Turning south-eastwards, the line now passes over Ponsanooth Viaduct, the tallest on the line. Ponsanooth
village is on the hillside to our right, while the River Kennal runs below to join up with Restronguet Creek.
The line passes beneath the A39 road
from Truro to Falmouth at Treluswell, Four Cross, and then shortly enters Penryn
which grew up at the head of a large inlet of the River Fal
. Penryn railway station
is at the top of the town, and we have views across the town to St Gulvias on the other side of the harbour. The station is eight and a quarter miles from Truro and has little of comment, but the platform shelter is identical to the one at Perranwell. Beyond the station the line passes over the Collegewood Viaduct . The last timber railway viaduct in Cornwall was here, but was replaced by this stone structure on 22 July 1934.
At Penryn there is a wide open space now occupied by Cornwall Motor Auctions. This was the goods yard where wagons were loaded and unloaded. There is also another - overgrown - platform visible on the other side of the train.
The line soon enters the outskirts of Falmouth
. The town was established at the entrance to the inlet that leads to Penryn; it has now nearly spread to reach that town. Trains first call at the well-loved Penmere railway station
, useful for people heading for the top of The Moor in the town centre, or for the newer western suburbs.
Passengers get a quick glimpse on their right of Falmouth Bay before trains call at the concrete platform of Falmouth Town railway station
, which is nearer the National Maritime Museum
, the waterside, and the shops.
It is now just a short distance to the terminus at Falmouth Docks railway station
, 11.75 miles (18.9 km) from Truro. Falmouth Docks are below the station on the left, Pendennis Castle overlooks both these and the Gyllyngvase
Beach on the other side of the line. Sidings serve the docks but are little used.
|}
The statistics are for passengers arriving and departing from each station and cover twelve month periods that start in April.
Since the 1970s trains have only run between and , where connections are made into services on the Cornish Main Line
to , and beyond. Trains run every thirty minutes for much of the day (except on Sundays when a less frequent service operates). They call at all stations except which is served by alternate services on request to the guard or clear signal to the driver.
Service in the 1960s was 16 or 17 trains daily, and had been reduced to 12 by 1975. By 2008 there were 13 trains each way, but with the new loop installed at the May 2009 timetable provides for 29. Trains are however usually only formed with one coach instead of the former two.
River Fal
The River Fal flows through Cornwall, United Kingdom, rising on the Goss Moor and reaching the English Channel at Falmouth. On or near the banks of the Fal are the castles of Pendennis and St Mawes as well as Trelissick Garden. The River Fal separates the Roseland peninsula from the rest of...
from Truro
Truro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
(the county town) to Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
on the south coast of 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...
, 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...
.
History
The Maritime Line was built by the Cornwall Railway, a broad gaugeBroad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
railway from Plymouth
Plymouth Millbay railway station
Plymouth Millbay railway station was the original railway terminus in Plymouth, Devon, England. It was used for passenger trains from 1849 to 1941.- History :...
to Falmouth
Falmouth Docks railway station
Falmouth Docks station in Falmouth, Cornwall is the terminus of the Maritime Line to Truro, the services are operated by First Great Western.-History:...
. The purpose of the scheme was to link London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with Falmouth, from where packet ship
Packet ship
A "packet ship" was originally a vessel employed to carry post office mail packets to and from British embassies, colonies and outposts. In sea transport, a packet service is a regular, scheduled service, carrying freight and passengers...
s sailed to destinations in Europe, Africa, and America.
The section from Plymouth to Truro opened on 4 May 1859, and the inhabitants of Falmouth soon put pressure on the company to extend the line to their town as originally intended. The extension opened on 24 August 1863 by which time the packet ships had been diverted elsewhere.
After the West Cornwall Railway
West Cornwall Railway
The West Cornwall Railway was a railway company in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, formed in 1846 to operate the existing Hayle Railway between Hayle and Redruth and extend the railway to Penzance and Truro....
was converted to broad gauge in 1867 the Truro to Falmouth line tended to be operated as a branch, with the trains from London Paddington
Paddington station
Paddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates...
operating to Penzance
Penzance railway station
Penzance railway station serves the town of Penzance, Cornwall, UK. The station is the western terminus of the Cornish Main Line from London Paddington station. The current journey time to or from London is about five hours....
instead.
The original stations on the line were at , (known as Perran until 19 February 1864), , and Falmouth (Now Falmouth Docks). was added on 1 July 1925, and (originally known as The Dell) opened on 7 December 1970. the line terminated at the Dell for five years before reopening to the original terminus.
Great Western and BR
The Cornwall Railway was amalgamated into the Great Western RailwayGreat Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
on 1 July 1889. Following the amalgamation, plans were put in place for conversion to standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
, which took place over the weekend of 21 May 1892. The Great Western Railway was nationalised into British Railways from 1 January 1948.
Privatisation
Britain's railways were privatised in the 1990s. At privatisation, the line was operated by Wales and WestWales and West
Wales & West was a British Train Operating Company that ran services from 1997 to 2001, and was one of the original 25 Train Operating Companies that were set up after the UK Rail Industry was privatised...
Train operating company
Train operating company
The term train operating company is used in the United Kingdom to describe the various businesses operating passenger trains on the railway system of Great Britain under the collective National Rail brand...
for a few years until the company split. From 14 October 2001, the Maritime Line became the responsibility of Wessex Trains
Wessex Trains
Wessex Trains was the primary passenger rail operator in the South West of England. The company operated trains in the region bounded by Penzance, Cardiff, Gloucester, Worcester and Brighton...
.
When the franchise became due for renewal, the tender was won by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
and the company took over the operation on 1 April 2006.
Community rail
The Maritime Line is one of the railway lines supported by the Devon and Cornwall Rail PartnershipDevon 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...
, an organisation formed in 1991 to promote railway services in the area. The line is promoted by many means such as regular timetable and scenic line guides, as well as leaflets highlighting leisure opportunities such as walking, birdwatching, and visiting country pubs.
The Maritime 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...
was launched in 2003 to encourage rail travellers to visit pubs near the line. Of the 14 participating pubs, four are in Truro, one in Perranwell, three in Penryn, and six in Falmouth. 5, 10 or 14 stamps collected in the Rail Ale Trail leaflet entitle the participant to claim special Maritime Line Rail Trail souvenir merchandise.
Wessex Trains
Wessex Trains
Wessex Trains was the primary passenger rail operator in the South West of England. The company operated trains in the region bounded by Penzance, Cardiff, Gloucester, Worcester and Brighton...
painted a Class 150
British Rail Class 150
The British Rail Class 150 "Sprinter" diesel multiple units were built by BREL from 1984-87. A total of 137 units were built in three main subclasses, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.- Background :...
two-car DMU
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
(number 150265) in coloured pictures promoting the line and named it The Falmouth Flyer. The unit continued in service with First Great Western when the company won the franchise but it has now been repainted in the standard fleet colours. While in the pictorial livery the worked throughout the southwest, not just on its named line.
The branch was designated by the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
as a community rail
Community 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 in September 2006. This aims to increase the number of passengers and reduce costs. Strategies for investigation include more effective revenue collection, a passing loop, improved bus links, and working with ferry operators and colleges in the area.
Improvements in 2009
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
in the 1960s instigated the reduction of the line here from two to one. In 2004 a proposal was put forward to reinstate a passing loop into the line, to allow for a doubling of service frequency.. Funding was agreed with £4.67million coming from European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
funds, £2.5million from Cornwall Council, and £600,000 from Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
. The new 400 metres (437.4 yd) loop was installed over two long weekends in October 2008 and work on the platform extension was also started. The loop was brought into use ahead of schedule and to budget, with the formal opening by Kevin Lavery, the Chief Executive of Cornwall Council, taking place at Penryn station on 18 May 2009. Works included a new car park and waiting shelter at Penryn, in addition to the new loop, signalling and platform lengthening.
Communities served
TruroTruro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
– Perranarworthal
Perranarworthal
Perranarworthal is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated approximately four miles northwest of Falmouth and five miles southwest of Truro....
– Penryn
Penryn, Cornwall
Penryn is a civil parish and town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the Penryn River about one mile northwest of Falmouth...
– Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
.
Description
Maritime Line trains start from Truro railway stationTruro railway station
Truro Station serves the city of Truro, Cornwall, UK. It is the situated on the Cornish Main Line and is the junction for the Maritime Line to Falmouth. The station is operated by First Great Western....
, normally from the bay platform that is reached by turning left and walking along the main platform beyond the footbridge. The trains join the main line for the first half mile to Penwithers Junction, passing through the 70 yards (64 m)-long Higher Town Tunnel on the way. At this point the line to Penzance
Penzance railway station
Penzance railway station serves the town of Penzance, Cornwall, UK. The station is the western terminus of the Cornish Main Line from London Paddington station. The current journey time to or from London is about five hours....
curves away to the right; the line to Falmouth was originally the Cornwall Railway
Cornwall Railway
The Cornwall Railway was a broad gauge railway from Plymouth in Devon to Falmouth in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The section from Plymouth to Truro opened in 1859, the extension to Falmouth in 1863...
main line and so runs straight ahead while the Penzance line was built by the West Cornwall Railway Company
West Cornwall Railway
The West Cornwall Railway was a railway company in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, formed in 1846 to operate the existing Hayle Railway between Hayle and Redruth and extend the railway to Penzance and Truro....
. The Maritime Line today only has a junction
Junction (rail)
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...
with the westbound track; trains running towards Truro do so on the "wrong" line which can be a bit disconcerting if a train from Penzance is arriving at the same time. The line from Penwithers to Falmouth Docks is single track, with the exception of the passing loop at Penryn.
From the tunnel the line emerges into the countryside outside Truro
Truro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
. The small excavated area of land on the left is a Local Nature Reserve
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
which supports rare plants due to its unusual position in a triangle of rail routes - ours, the disused continuation of the West Cornwall Railway to the riverside at Newham, and a never-built route allowing Cornwall Railway trains to reach Newham. The route to Newham is now a cycle path
Segregated cycle facilities
Segregated cycle facilities are marked lanes, tracks, shoulders and paths designated for use by cyclists from which motorised traffic is generally excluded...
round the edge of the city.
One and a half miles from the junction we enter Sparnick Tunnel which is a little over a quarter of a mile long. Although the line has only ever had a single track, most of the engineering, including the tunnels, was designed to carry a second one and this gives a spacious feel to the route.
Restronguet Creek
Restronguet Creek is a tidal ria in south Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is a tributary of Carrick Roads, the estuary of the River Fal, and is situated approximately four miles south of Truro and three miles north of Falmouth....
on Carnon viaduct
Carnon viaduct
Carnon viaduct carries the railway from Truro to Falmouth over the valley of the Carnon River in west Cornwall, United Kingdom...
. This valley was the route of the Redruth and Chasewater Railway
Redruth and Chasewater Railway
The Redruth and Chasewater Railway, otherwise called the Redruth and Chacewater Railway using modern spelling, was a very early industrial railway line in Cornwall, England, UK that opened in 1825 and closed in 1915...
down to quays at Devoran
Devoran
Devoran is a village in south Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated four miles southwest of Truro at . Formerly an ecclesiastical parish, Devoran is now in the civil parish of Feock....
, about a mile beyond our viaduct. It is now part of the Mineral Tramway Trails
Mineral Tramway Trails
The mineral tramways trails are a series of trails located in mid west Cornwall, The trails are as follows:-Current trails:The Coast to Coast trail 17.5 kmFrom Devoran to Portreath following disused tramwaysThe Great Flat Lode trail 12 km...
.
Another half mile brings us to Perranwell railway station
Perranwell railway station
Perranwell station is on the Maritime Line from Truro to Falmouth Docks, the services are operated by First Great Western.-History:The station was opened with the Cornwall Railway Falmouth extension on 24 August 1863...
, nearly four miles from Truro. A modern shelter is situated on the platform, built in a style inspired by older railway buildings. As with all stations except for Truro, the platform is on our left as we travel towards Falmouth. In the forecourt is the old Cornwall Railway goods shed
Goods shed
A goods shed is a railway building designed for storing goods before or after carriage in a train.A typical goods shed will have a track running through it to allow goods wagons to be unloaded under cover, although sometimes they were built alongside a track with possibly just a canopy over the door...
; a cast iron sign carrying the station name, and a dried up drinking fountain also hark back to earlier days.
The line now swings west, passes over the short Perran Viaduct and then south again along the hillside above Perranwell village before passing through the 374 yards (342 m)-long Perran Tunnel.
Turning south-eastwards, the line now passes over Ponsanooth Viaduct, the tallest on the line. Ponsanooth
Ponsanooth
Ponsanooth is a village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately four miles south east of Redruth and two and a half miles north west of Penryn on the A393 Redruth to Falmouth road. Ponsanooth was first recorded in 1613 as Ponsanwoth Ponsanooth is a village in Cornwall,...
village is on the hillside to our right, while the River Kennal runs below to join up with Restronguet Creek.
A39 road
The A39 is an A road in south west England. It runs south-west from Bath in Somerset through Wells, Glastonbury, Street and Bridgwater. It then follows the north coast of Somerset and Devon through Williton, Minehead, Porlock, Lynmouth, Barnstaple, Bideford, Stratton, Camelford, Wadebridge and St...
from Truro to Falmouth at Treluswell, Four Cross, and then shortly enters Penryn
Penryn, Cornwall
Penryn is a civil parish and town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the Penryn River about one mile northwest of Falmouth...
which grew up at the head of a large inlet of the River Fal
River Fal
The River Fal flows through Cornwall, United Kingdom, rising on the Goss Moor and reaching the English Channel at Falmouth. On or near the banks of the Fal are the castles of Pendennis and St Mawes as well as Trelissick Garden. The River Fal separates the Roseland peninsula from the rest of...
. Penryn railway station
Penryn railway station
Penryn station is on the Maritime Line from Truro to Falmouth Docks, and serves the town of Penryn, Cornwall. The services are operated by First Great Western.-History:The station was opened by the Cornwall Railway in 1863...
is at the top of the town, and we have views across the town to St Gulvias on the other side of the harbour. The station is eight and a quarter miles from Truro and has little of comment, but the platform shelter is identical to the one at Perranwell. Beyond the station the line passes over the Collegewood Viaduct . The last timber railway viaduct in Cornwall was here, but was replaced by this stone structure on 22 July 1934.
At Penryn there is a wide open space now occupied by Cornwall Motor Auctions. This was the goods yard where wagons were loaded and unloaded. There is also another - overgrown - platform visible on the other side of the train.
The line soon enters the outskirts of Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
. The town was established at the entrance to the inlet that leads to Penryn; it has now nearly spread to reach that town. Trains first call at the well-loved Penmere railway station
Penmere railway station
The Penmere railway station serves the northern part of Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is on the Maritime Line from to . The services are operated by First Great Western and the station is within walking distance of the top of The Moor in the centre of the town.-History:The station was...
, useful for people heading for the top of The Moor in the town centre, or for the newer western suburbs.
Passengers get a quick glimpse on their right of Falmouth Bay before trains call at the concrete platform of Falmouth Town railway station
Falmouth Town railway station
Falmouth Town station is the most central railway station in Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is on the Maritime Line, from . It is unstaffed but operated, along with the trains, by First Great Western...
, which is nearer the National Maritime Museum
National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world. The historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, it also incorporates the Royal Observatory, Greenwich,...
, the waterside, and the shops.
It is now just a short distance to the terminus at Falmouth Docks railway station
Falmouth Docks railway station
Falmouth Docks station in Falmouth, Cornwall is the terminus of the Maritime Line to Truro, the services are operated by First Great Western.-History:...
, 11.75 miles (18.9 km) from Truro. Falmouth Docks are below the station on the left, Pendennis Castle overlooks both these and the Gyllyngvase
Gyllyngvase
Gyllyngvase is one of the four beaches associated with Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom, south of Pendennis Castle.It is to the south of Falmouth town centre, but was an essentially rural area as recently as the late 19th century...
Beach on the other side of the line. Sidings serve the docks but are little used.
Passenger volume
The majority of passengers travel between Truro and the three stations in Falmouth, the busiest of which is Falmouth Town although passenger numbers at Falmouth Docks are increasing faster. Comparing the year from April 2008 to that which started in April 2002, passenger numbers at the Docks station have increased by 214% while those at the Town station have increased by 38% and at Penmere have increased by 42%.|}
The statistics are for passengers arriving and departing from each station and cover twelve month periods that start in April.
Services
Cornish Main Line
The Cornish Main Line is a railway line in the United Kingdom, which forms the backbone for rail services in Cornwall, as well as providing a direct line to London.- History :...
to , and beyond. Trains run every thirty minutes for much of the day (except on Sundays when a less frequent service operates). They call at all stations except which is served by alternate services on request to the guard or clear signal to the driver.
Service in the 1960s was 16 or 17 trains daily, and had been reduced to 12 by 1975. By 2008 there were 13 trains each way, but with the new loop installed at the May 2009 timetable provides for 29. Trains are however usually only formed with one coach instead of the former two.