Padstow railway station
Encyclopedia
Padstow railway station was the western terminus
of the North Cornwall Railway
. It was opened in 1899 by the London and South Western Railway
(LSWR) to serve the port of Padstow
. It closed in 1967 having been proposed for closure in the Beeching Report.
to Padstow in 1882 and opened the line as far as in 1894, it was to be a further five years before the line reached Padstow. The delay came about because of discussions within the LSWR in 1894 as to whether the line should in fact terminate at Truro
rather than Padstow. Around the same time, the time period specified by Parliament within which the North Cornwall Line was to be constructed lapsed and it became necessary to apply for fresh authorisation. Under pressure from by local residents, the LSWR obtained new approval in the form of the North Cornwall Railway Act 1896 (c.clvi) which authorised the extension west over the main road in Wadebridge
where a level crossing
was to be installed. The line finally arrived in Padstow on 23 March 1899 and the station opened to traffic four days later. The line's opening was celebrated by crowds of local residents who gathered at the station to greet the first train. A brass band was also on hand and played "See The Conquering Hero Comes".
Upon its opening the station consisted of a single platform
100 yards (91.4 m) in length, a run-around loop, a siding
leading down to a fish shed and platform by the harbour where fish consignments were loaded, and a small goods shed
on the Down side with canopies over the loading points on each side. The station incorporated the stationmaster's residence and was constructed of local stone. A platform canopy decorated with saw-tooth valancing was also added. Finally, a stone 18-lever signal box
was situated near the platform. The first changes occurred in 1900 when a turntable
was installed. Around 1910 a carriage siding was added to next to the run-round loop, followed by the construction of the South Jetty served by two long sidings.
The station's heyday was around the time of the railway grouping
when it saw substantial passenger traffic in the form of holidaymakers and daytrippers to the coast, as well as outward-bound fish freight which often reached 1,000 wagonloads during a Spring season. The station was served by the famous Atlantic Coast Express
, a direct service from London Waterloo. The Southern Railway
took over responsibility of the North Cornwall Line and stations and decided, given the levels of traffic at Padstow, to rebuild the fish platform in the early 1930s
. Further modifications came after the Second World War when the turntable was resited and enlarged to accommodate the Bulleid Pacifics.
. Rationalisation meant that the competing lines of the Western Region and Southern Region in Devon and Cornwall could not survive indefinitely. Declining fish traffic in the 1950s
saw the severing of the siding serving the fish station in 1959 and the removal of the canopy on the rail side of the goods shed. The cutbacks accelerated once the station was transferred to the Western Region of British Railways
in January 1963.
The Beeching Report proposed the closure of Padstow station and the lines serving it. Goods traffic
ended in 1964, followed by most of the through passenger trains to London Waterloo (including the Atlantic Coast Express). All through services ceased in September 1966 with the closure of the North Cornwall Line; this meant that Padstow could only be reached by changing at Bodmin Road
on the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway
. It was hoped that this connection could be preserved, but it too succumbed within a few months.
, a recreational route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.
In September 2007
, the Bodmin and Wenford Railway
announced plans to rebuild the North Cornwall Line from Bodmin Road (now known as Bodmin Parkway) as far as Wadebridge, following the line of the Camel Trail. The plans have raised speculation as to whether, if realised, they could lead to a further connection to Padstow.
Terminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
of the North Cornwall Railway
North Cornwall Railway
The North Cornwall Railway was a railway line running from Halwill in Devon to Padstow in Cornwall via Launceston, Camelford and Wadebridge, a distance of 49 miles 67 chains. Opened in the last decade of the nineteenth century, it was part of a drive by the London and South Western Railway to...
. It was opened in 1899 by the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
(LSWR) to serve the port of Padstow
Padstow
Padstow is a town, civil parish and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town is situated on the west bank of the River Camel estuary approximately five miles northwest of Wadebridge, ten miles northwest of Bodmin and ten miles northeast of Newquay...
. It closed in 1967 having been proposed for closure in the Beeching Report.
History
Although the LSWR obtained parliamentary authorisation to construct a line from Halwill & BeaworthyHalwill Junction railway station
Halwill Junction Railway Station was a railway station near the villages of Halwill and Beaworthy in Devon. It opened in 1879 and formed an important junction between the now-closed Bude Branch and North Cornwall line...
to Padstow in 1882 and opened the line as far as in 1894, it was to be a further five years before the line reached Padstow. The delay came about because of discussions within the LSWR in 1894 as to whether the line should in fact terminate at 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...
rather than Padstow. Around the same time, the time period specified by Parliament within which the North Cornwall Line was to be constructed lapsed and it became necessary to apply for fresh authorisation. Under pressure from by local residents, the LSWR obtained new approval in the form of the North Cornwall Railway Act 1896 (c.clvi) which authorised the extension west over the main road in Wadebridge
Wadebridge
Wadebridge is a civil parish and town in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town straddles the River Camel five miles upstream from Padstow....
where a level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
was to be installed. The line finally arrived in Padstow on 23 March 1899 and the station opened to traffic four days later. The line's opening was celebrated by crowds of local residents who gathered at the station to greet the first train. A brass band was also on hand and played "See The Conquering Hero Comes".
Upon its opening the station consisted of a single platform
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
100 yards (91.4 m) in length, a run-around loop, a siding
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
leading down to a fish shed and platform by the harbour where fish consignments were loaded, and a small 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...
on the Down side with canopies over the loading points on each side. The station incorporated the stationmaster's residence and was constructed of local stone. A platform canopy decorated with saw-tooth valancing was also added. Finally, a stone 18-lever 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 near the platform. The first changes occurred in 1900 when a turntable
Turntable (railroad)
A railway turntable is a device for turning railroad rolling stock. When steam locomotives were still in wide use, many railroads needed a way to turn the locomotives around for return trips as their controls were often not configured for extended periods of running in reverse and in many...
was installed. Around 1910 a carriage siding was added to next to the run-round loop, followed by the construction of the South Jetty served by two long sidings.
The station's heyday was around the time of the railway grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
when it saw substantial passenger traffic in the form of holidaymakers and daytrippers to the coast, as well as outward-bound fish freight which often reached 1,000 wagonloads during a Spring season. The station was served by the famous Atlantic Coast Express
Atlantic Coast Express
The Atlantic Coast Express was an express passenger train in England between Waterloo station, London and seaside resorts in the south-west...
, a direct service from London Waterloo. The Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
took over responsibility of the North Cornwall Line and stations and decided, given the levels of traffic at Padstow, to rebuild the fish platform in the early 1930s
1930s
File:1930s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: Dorothea Lange's photo of the homeless Florence Thompson show the effects of the Great Depression; Due to the economic collapse, the farms become dry and the Dust Bowl spreads through America; The Battle of Wuhan during the Second Sino-Japanese...
. Further modifications came after the Second World War when the turntable was resited and enlarged to accommodate the Bulleid Pacifics.
Decline
Following nationalisation in 1948, Padstow station became part of the Southern Region of British RailwaysSouthern Region of British Railways
The Southern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992. The region covered south London, southern England and the south coast, including the busy commuter belt areas of Kent, Sussex...
. Rationalisation meant that the competing lines of the Western Region and Southern Region in Devon and Cornwall could not survive indefinitely. Declining fish traffic in the 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
saw the severing of the siding serving the fish station in 1959 and the removal of the canopy on the rail side of the goods shed. The cutbacks accelerated once the station was transferred to the Western Region of British Railways
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
in January 1963.
The Beeching Report proposed the closure of Padstow station and the lines serving it. Goods traffic
Freight train
A freight train or goods train is a group of freight cars or goods wagons hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, ultimately transporting cargo between two points as part of the logistics chain...
ended in 1964, followed by most of the through passenger trains to London Waterloo (including the Atlantic Coast Express). All through services ceased in September 1966 with the closure of the North Cornwall Line; this meant that Padstow could only be reached by changing at Bodmin Road
Bodmin Parkway railway station
Bodmin Parkway railway station is a station on the Cornish Main Line and serves the nearby town of Bodmin, Cornwall, United Kingdom. The station is west of , in the civil parish of St Winnow....
on the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway
Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway
The Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway was a railway line opened in 1834 in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It linked the important town of Bodmin with the harbour at Wadebridge and also quarries at places such as Wenford...
. It was hoped that this connection could be preserved, but it too succumbed within a few months.
The station today
The station building is extant and was used as a cycle hire shop but now, it houses the offices of Padstow Town Council. The cycle hire shop has been moved to a new building on the other side of the car park. The trackbed leading into Padstow now forms part of the Camel TrailCamel Trail
The Camel Trail is a disused and resurfaced railway line in Cornwall, United Kingdom, that provides a recreational route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders...
, a recreational route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.
In September 2007
September 2007
September 2007 is the ninth month of that year. It began on a Saturday and 30 days later, ended on a Sunday.-International holidays:* September 3 – Labor Day * September 4 – Krishna Janmaashtami...
, the Bodmin and Wenford Railway
Bodmin and Wenford Railway
The Bodmin & Wenford Railway is a heritage railway, based at Bodmin in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It has an interchange with the national rail network at Bodmin Parkway railway station, the southern terminus of the line.-History:...
announced plans to rebuild the North Cornwall Line from Bodmin Road (now known as Bodmin Parkway) as far as Wadebridge, following the line of the Camel Trail. The plans have raised speculation as to whether, if realised, they could lead to a further connection to Padstow.