St Ives Bay Line
Encyclopedia
The St Ives Bay Line is a 4.25 miles (6.8 km) railway line from to in Cornwall
, United Kingdom
. It was opened in 1877, the last new broad gauge
passenger railway to be constructed in the country. Converted
to standard gauge in 1892, it continues to operate as a community railway which carries a large number of tourists as well as local passengers.
The St Ives Junction Railway applied for an Act of Parliament
in 1845, but as the West Cornwall Railway
’s Bill failed in its application for an Act at the same time, the St Ives company withdrew its proposal. A new Act was successfully applied for in 1873 to authorise a St Ives branch line as an extension of the West Cornwall Railway, although by that time this was controlled by the Great Western Railway
. It was opened on 1 June 1877, the last new broad gauge
passenger railway route to be built in Britain. A third rail
was added to the southern section of the line in October 1888 to allow standard gauge
goods trains to reach the wharf at . The last broad gauge train ran on Friday 20 May 1892; since the following Monday all trains have been standard gauge.
Although there was heavy traffic in fish in the early years, this declined during the first half of the twentieth century. Goods traffic was withdrawn from the intermediate stations at Lelant and in May 1956 but continued at St Ives itself until September 1963.
All the sidings were taken out of use at St Ives by 1966, by which time trains on the branch were operated by diesel multiple unit
s. The line was proposed for closure in the Reshaping of British railways
report which prompted it to be one of the lines featured in Flanders and Swann
’s Slow Train
, but it was reprieved. On 23 May 1971, the platform
at St Ives was moved to make way for a car park but seven years later, on 27 May 1978, a new station was opened at opened between St Erth and Lelant. This was given a large car park so that it could operate as a Park and Ride
facility for St Ives.
The branch line
is single track for its whole length with no passing places
. It runs alongside the Hayle estuary
and then the sea coast and is promoted as a good place to see birds from the train. It has also been listed as one of the most picturesque railways in England.
The line diverges from the Cornish Main Line
at . After the line goes through a short cutting and underneath two road bridges which carry the A30
roundabout
outside the station, the line follows the western side of the estuary past . Beyond Lelant railway station
the line enters a cutting and climbs onto the sand dunes above Porth Kidney Sands on St Ives Bay
, with the church of St Uny
and Lelant golf course on the left; the church’s cemetery was disturbed when the railway cut through the hill. The South West Coast Path
crosses the line here and then follows close by all the way to St Ives. The railway continues to climb up and onto the steep cliffs at Hawkes Point, about 30 metres (98.4 ft) above sea level. Soon after the line comes around the headland at Carrick Gladden and into . Perched on the hillside above the beach, this resort only developed after the railway arrived in 1877. The line now crosses 78 yards (71.3 m) long Carbis Viaduct
then continues on the cliff's edge until it emerges at Porthminster Point, from where it drops down across the 106 yards (96.9 m) St Ives Viaduct to reach St Ives railway station which is situated above Portminster Beach.
ran from St Ives through to Paddington on summer Saturdays. The number of services continued to increase following the opening of Lelant Saltings and the summer of 2006 saw 26 daily services operated by Wessex Trains
. First Great Western
took over the operation later in the year and the winter timetable was reduced to 16 trains which caused some concern but the summer of 2007 saw a return to the previous service level.
In the summer months when traffic levels are high, most services are now operated by two-car Class 150
sets, but in the winter a single-car Class 153
is generally sufficient. On particularly busy days additional sets are added; St Ives can handle six carriages but the bay platform at St Erth is long enough for just five. Two or three trains are extended to and from on most days to facilitate crew changes.
at ; only one train is allowed to operate on the line at any time. Trains travelling towards St Ives are described as 'down trains' and those towards St Erth as 'up trains'. There are three public crossings on the line. 'Western Growers Crossing' is a crossing at St Erth which the signaller can see from the signal box. 'Towan Crossing' is a user-worked crossing north of Lelant, and there is a foot crossing at Hawke’s Point as the line approaches Carbis Bay.
, 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 Tarka Line rail ale trail
was launched on 3 June 2005 to encourage rail travellers to visit pubs near the line. Of the 14 participating pubs, five are in St Ives,one in Lelant, two close to Lelant Saltings, one near St Erth and five in Penzance
6, 10 or 14 stamps collected in the Rail Ale Trail leaflet entitle the participant to claim special St Ives Bay Line Rail Trail souvenir merchandise.
Wessex Trains
gave Class 153
single-car DMU
number 153329 a special blue livery with large coloured pictures promoting the line and named it St Ives Bay Line, although this has now been removed by First Great Western
who now operate the line.
The branch was designated as a community rail
way line in July 2005, being one of seven pilots for the Department for Transport
's Community Rail Development Strategy. This aims to increase the number of passengers and reduce costs to make lightly used railways more economically sustainable. Among its aims are a higher-frequency of service, to introduce local tickets and ticket vending machines, and public art on the stations promoting the line as the artistic gateway to St Ives.
Sterling Rail, a local action group, have proposed to take on the operation of the branch line and reintroduce steam trains. They also hope to place a dining car in the sidings at .
The Office of the Rail Regulator's statistics show that the number of passengers travelling on the St Ives line appears to have been declining in recent years, although this is misleading as many tickets sold are Branch Rovers, which cannot be attributed to any particular station, and thus are excluded from the Rail Regulator's statistics.
|}
The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.
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...
. It was opened in 1877, the last new broad gauge
Broad 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 :...
passenger railway to be constructed in the country. Converted
Gauge conversion
In rail transport, gauge conversion is the process of converting a railway from one rail gauge to another, through the alteration of the railway tracks...
to standard gauge in 1892, it continues to operate as a community railway which carries a large number of tourists as well as local passengers.
History
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
in 1845, but as 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....
’s Bill failed in its application for an Act at the same time, the St Ives company withdrew its proposal. A new Act was successfully applied for in 1873 to authorise a St Ives branch line as an extension of the West Cornwall Railway, although by that time this was controlled by the Great Western Railway
Great 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...
. It was opened on 1 June 1877, the last new broad gauge
Broad 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 :...
passenger railway route to be built in Britain. A third rail
Dual gauge
A dual-gauge or mixed-gauge railway has railway track that allows trains of different gauges to use the same track. Generally, a dual-gauge railway consists of three rails, rather than the standard two rails. The two outer rails give the wider gauge, while one of the outer rails and the inner rail...
was added to the southern section of the line in October 1888 to allow 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...
goods trains to reach the wharf at . The last broad gauge train ran on Friday 20 May 1892; since the following Monday all trains have been standard gauge.
Although there was heavy traffic in fish in the early years, this declined during the first half of the twentieth century. Goods traffic was withdrawn from the intermediate stations at Lelant and in May 1956 but continued at St Ives itself until September 1963.
All the sidings were taken out of use at St Ives by 1966, by which time trains on the branch were operated by diesel multiple unit
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:...
s. The line was proposed for closure in the Reshaping of British railways
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...
report which prompted it to be one of the lines featured in Flanders and Swann
Flanders and Swann
The British duo Flanders and Swann were the actor and singer Michael Flanders and the composer, pianist and linguist Donald Swann , who collaborated in writing and performing comic songs....
’s Slow Train
Slow Train
"Slow Train" is a song by the British duo Flanders and Swann, written in 1963.It laments the loss of British stations and railway lines in that era, due to the Beeching cuts, and also the passing of a way of life, with the advent of motorways etc....
, but it was reprieved. On 23 May 1971, the 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...
at St Ives was moved to make way for a car park but seven years later, on 27 May 1978, a new station was opened at opened between St Erth and Lelant. This was given a large car park so that it could operate as a Park and Ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
facility for St Ives.
Route
- The communities served by the route are: St ErthSt ErthSt Erth is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, United Kingdom.The village is situated four miles southeast of St Ives and six miles northeast of Penzance....
– LelantLelantLelant is a village in west Cornwall, England, UK. It is on the west side of the River Hayle estuary about 2½ miles southeast of St Ives and one mile west of Hayle....
– Carbis BayCarbis BayCarbis Bay is a village and seaside resort in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It lies one mile SE of St Ives on the west side of St Ives Bay on the Atlantic coast....
– St IvesSt Ives, CornwallSt Ives is a seaside town, civil parish and port in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town lies north of Penzance and west of Camborne on the coast of the Celtic Sea. In former times it was commercially dependent on fishing. The decline in fishing, however, caused a shift in commercial...
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
is single track for its whole length with no passing places
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
. It runs alongside the Hayle estuary
River Hayle
The River Hayle is a small river in west Cornwall, UK which issues into St Ives Bay at Hayle on Cornwall's Atlantic coast.The River Hayle is approx 12 miles long and it rises south-west of Crowan village. Its course is west for approx 5 miles...
and then the sea coast and is promoted as a good place to see birds from the train. It has also been listed as one of the most picturesque railways in England.
The line diverges from the Cornish Main Line
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 :...
at . After the line goes through a short cutting and underneath two road bridges which carry the A30
A30 road
The 284 miles A30 road from London to Land's End, historically known as the Great South West Road used to provide the most direct route from London to the south west; more recently the M3 motorway and A303 road performs this function for much of the route and only parts of A30 now retain trunk...
roundabout
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
outside the station, the line follows the western side of the estuary past . Beyond Lelant railway station
Lelant railway station
Picturesque Lelant railway station is on the waterfront of the Hayle estuary below the village of Lelant in Cornwall, United Kingdom. Opened in 1877, it is now only a request stop served by just a limited number of trains.-History:...
the line enters a cutting and climbs onto the sand dunes above Porth Kidney Sands on St Ives Bay
St Ives Bay
St Ives Bay is a bay on the Atlantic coast of north-west Cornwall in the United Kingdom. It is in the form of a shallow crescent, some 4 miles or 6 km across, between St Ives in the west and Godrevy Head in the east....
, with the church of St Uny
St. Uny's Church, Lelant
St Uny's Church, Lelant, is the Church of England parish church of Lelant, Cornwall, England, UK. It is dedicated to St Uny who is also the patron saint of Redruth....
and Lelant golf course on the left; the church’s cemetery was disturbed when the railway cut through the hill. The South West Coast Path
South West Coast Path
The South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for , running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Since it rises and falls with every river mouth, it is also one of the more...
crosses the line here and then follows close by all the way to St Ives. The railway continues to climb up and onto the steep cliffs at Hawkes Point, about 30 metres (98.4 ft) above sea level. Soon after the line comes around the headland at Carrick Gladden and into . Perched on the hillside above the beach, this resort only developed after the railway arrived in 1877. The line now crosses 78 yards (71.3 m) long Carbis Viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
then continues on the cliff's edge until it emerges at Porthminster Point, from where it drops down across the 106 yards (96.9 m) St Ives Viaduct to reach St Ives railway station which is situated above Portminster Beach.
Services
The line initially saw just five trains a day, but by 1909 this had grown to nine and in 1965 it was 17 with up to 24 on summer Saturdays. Some trains included through carriages from London Paddington station and in the 1950s the Cornish Riviera ExpressCornish Riviera Express
The Cornish Riviera Express is a British express passenger train that has run between London and Penzance in Cornwall since 1904. Introduced by the Great Western Railway, the name Cornish Riviera Express has been applied to the late morning express train from London Paddington station to Penzance...
ran from St Ives through to Paddington on summer Saturdays. The number of services continued to increase following the opening of Lelant Saltings and the summer of 2006 saw 26 daily services operated by 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...
. 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....
took over the operation later in the year and the winter timetable was reduced to 16 trains which caused some concern but the summer of 2007 saw a return to the previous service level.
In the summer months when traffic levels are high, most services are now operated by two-car 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 :...
sets, but in the winter a single-car Class 153
British Rail Class 153
The British Rail Class 153 Super Sprinter is a single car diesel multiple unit converted from British Rail Class 155s.-Description:These units were originally built as two-car Class 155 units by British Leyland from 1987–88, but were converted by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock from 1991-92...
is generally sufficient. On particularly busy days additional sets are added; St Ives can handle six carriages but the bay platform at St Erth is long enough for just five. Two or three trains are extended to and from on most days to facilitate crew changes.
Signalling
The line is controlled from the signal boxSignal 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...
at ; only one train is allowed to operate on the line at any time. Trains travelling towards St Ives are described as 'down trains' and those towards St Erth as 'up trains'. There are three public crossings on the line. 'Western Growers Crossing' is a crossing at St Erth which the signaller can see from the signal box. 'Towan Crossing' is a user-worked crossing north of Lelant, and there is a foot crossing at Hawke’s Point as the line approaches Carbis Bay.
Community rail
The St Ives Bay 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.
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 on 3 June 2005 to encourage rail travellers to visit pubs near the line. Of the 14 participating pubs, five are in St Ives,one in Lelant, two close to Lelant Saltings, one near St Erth and five in Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
6, 10 or 14 stamps collected in the Rail Ale Trail leaflet entitle the participant to claim special St Ives Bay 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...
gave Class 153
British Rail Class 153
The British Rail Class 153 Super Sprinter is a single car diesel multiple unit converted from British Rail Class 155s.-Description:These units were originally built as two-car Class 155 units by British Leyland from 1987–88, but were converted by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock from 1991-92...
single-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 153329 a special blue livery with large coloured pictures promoting the line and named it St Ives Bay Line, although this has now been removed 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....
who now operate the line.
The branch was designated 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...
way line in July 2005, being one of seven pilots for 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...
's Community Rail Development Strategy. This aims to increase the number of passengers and reduce costs to make lightly used railways more economically sustainable. Among its aims are a higher-frequency of service, to introduce local tickets and ticket vending machines, and public art on the stations promoting the line as the artistic gateway to St Ives.
Sterling Rail, a local action group, have proposed to take on the operation of the branch line and reintroduce steam trains. They also hope to place a dining car in the sidings at .
Passenger volume
|}
The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.