Disused railway stations (Bodmin to Wadebridge line)
Encyclopedia
There are eight disused railway stations between Wadebridge
and Bodmin North on the former Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway
in Cornwall
, in the United Kingdom
, with ten other closed sidings on the branches to Ruthern Bridge and Wenfordbridge. The section from Boscarne Junction to Bodmin General is currently part of the Bodmin and Wenford Steam Railway
; the line from Wadebridge to Wenfordbridge is now part of the Camel Trail
, and the line to Ruthern Bridge can be followed for much of its length as it runs parallel to a public road.
(B&W) opened in 1834 to carry sand brought up the River Camel
for use as a soil improver. Extensions were added to Wenfordbridge and Ruthern Bridge to handle freight traffic later that year, particularly stone from the De Lank quarry
and Tin from the Mulberry mine. In 1847 the London and South Western Railway
bought the B&W, and connections to the parent company came via the North Cornwall Line in 1895. Connection to the GWR
at Bodmin Road
was earlier, in 1888, and the line was finally extended to Padstow in 1899. For much of its life the line was famed for the Beattie Well Tanks
, three small engines built in the 1870s and transported to Wadebridge by sea to work the lightly laid curves of the line to Wenfordbridge.
and World War I
. Troops were always sent by rail as there was no other means of access. Use of the range ceased after this although the platform, with its cinder surface, was maintained into the 1950s.
Named Shooting Range Platform and used until after 1947.
service between Bodmin North and Wadebridge
although the wooden platform was unlit and trains only stopped during daylight. It is unclear whether any shelter was provided initially, but a GWR style pagoda shelter was provided before 1933, being replaced by a wooden shelter when the platform was rebuilt in concrete in the 1950s. The line just north of Grogley halt was realigned in 1888, the junction to Ruthern Bridge being on the old alignment which was disconnected at one end only. A ground frame controlled the new junction, which thus involved a reversal on the old alignment to gain the Ruthern Bridge line. The early method of accessing the platform across the River Camel
is unclear as access was latterly via the bridge that carried the Ruthern Bridge line after that was lifted in 1934. The station closed to passengers on 30 January 1967.
and associated signal box
is a matter of conjecture, but the rough track which crossed the railway at this location was improved by the LSWR for the opening of the Halt on 2 July 1906. The halt itself, as at Grogley, was of timber without any form of shelter. A GWR "pagoda" shelter was provided later which lasted into the 1960s. The siding was closed 2 May 1960 and the associated ground frame removed in April 1961. The station closed to passengers on 30 January 1967.
Boscarne Junction
was created in 1888 when the GWR
built a line to connect from their station in Bodmin
to the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway
. Originally there was a loop on either side of the line, each straddling the junction which was controlled by a signal box; a second and longer loop was added from the signal box extending down the Wenfordbridge line well beyond the junction before 1911. The purpose of the GWR line was to take china clay from Wenford clay dries to the docks at Fowey
, the traffic having previously been taken by the LSWR to Wadebridge. The line to Wadebridge was truncated at the road just beyond the signal box
in 1981, and the line closed completely on 3 October 1983. Trains returned to Boscarne Junction in 1997 when the Bodmin and Wenford Steam Railway
built a platform and began operating trains from Bodmin General. This new platform is on the site of Boscarne Exchange Platform see next paragraph.
service between Bodmin North and Wadebridge
. The original platform at Dunmere is a matter of conjecture, but in the 1960s it was of concrete with a GWR style pagoda shelter. The halt was situated in a shallow cutting, and access was by a short footpath sloping down from the A389 overbridge which was situated at one end of the platform. The station closed to passengers on 30 January 1967 when operation of the line from Dunmere Junction to Bodmin North ceased. The platform is still in situ today and has been carefully maintained. The trackbed is now a footpath.
opened on 4 July 1834, trains could only get as far as a temporary terminus at Dunmere, the Station at Bodmin not being opened until 30 September 1834. From 1 November 1886 to 1 November 1895 the station was closed to allow for a realignment of the railway at Dunmere, replacing a level crossing
with an overbridge, and complete renewal of the track. The new station had a single platform face containing the station building and a canopy. South of the platform road was a run-round and a third road giving access to a short siding and a cattle dock, and leaving the line in front of the signal box, a further siding served the goods shed
, with a private siding for the gas works opposite. A 50-foot turntable
had been provided before the rebuilding work, and remained connected although usage was low as most passenger trains where operated by tank engines. The station was renamed Bodmin North in 1949 to differentiate it from Bodmin General. Freight facilities were withdrawn on 24 July 1964 and the station closed on 30 January 1967. The station has been completely demolished and the site is now occupied by a supermarket.
of St Lawrence, was opened in 1906 on the GWR line from Bodmin to Boscarne Junction. It closed in 1917.
.
The Great Western Railway
opened a terminus in Bodmin on 27 May 1887, the line diverging from the Cornish Main Line
at Bodmin Road
. On 3 September 1888 a new line connected with the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway at Dunmere Junction.
Passenger services ceased on 30 January 1967, freight services were withdrawn from Bodmin General on 1 May 1967 and the signal box closed later that year but the station was retained as a reversal point for freight trains from Wenford until 3 October 1983. It is now the principal station of the Bodmin and Wenford Steam Railway.
towards Grogley in 1914. A siding near to Grogley junction was provided at an early date to serve an ochre
pit although this was removed soon after the pit ceased working in 1912. There was never any passenger service, Ruthern Bridge being little more than a small collection of cottages and farms. The line, which climbed steadily at 1 in 158 for most of its length, closed on 29 November 1933 with the track being lifted the following year.
The single trailing siding at Dunmere, which was situated on the left of the line immediately after crossing the A389, was a public siding (as opposed to a private siding), and for much of its life the main traffic was grain for Hawke's mill. Originally termed "borough bounds wharf" for being just outside the Bodmin
boundary, the siding closed on 14 May 1969 and was removed in November that year.
Penharcard
A single facing siding was provided at Penharcard, although it was closed and removed prior to 1925.
Helland
A single facing siding was provided on the side of the line nearest the River Camel
at Helland Wharf. Pictures show the buildings, as at other places on the B&W
, extremely close to the line. The siding closed on 2 May 1960.
Tresarret Quarry
A single facing siding was provided for Tresarret quarry from around 1920. It closed in the mid 1930s.
Stump Oak siding
A loop 7 chains in length was provided at Stump Oak, or Parkyns, around 1880 although this had been removed by 1923.
Tresarret Wharf
At Tresarret there was a loop on the north side of the line some 6 chains in length, this was closed in July 1970 and removed the following year. A shorter siding on the other side of the line was removed on 18 January 1932.
was the furthest outpost of the LSWR from London Waterloo. It opened on 30 September 1834 as part of the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway
and changed very little until closure in 1971. There were three sidings for loading and unloading goods, predominantly coal inwards and stone out from local quarries, basic manpower being supplemented in Southern Railway
days by a five ton capacity gantry crane spanning two of the sidings. A fourth siding continued on to the De Lank quarries.
of T W Ward & Sons ½ mile distant. The incline itself was of three rails; the inner or centre rail being common to wagons both ascending and descending the incline. There was no engine working the incline which worked on the balance principle; horsepower was used for shunting until introduction of a simplex shunter in the 1920s. The line was opened in the 1890s and closed around 1940 although the rails across the road remained until 1967.
Wadebridge railway station
Wadebridge railway station was on the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway. It opened in 1834 to transport goods between the market town of Wadebridge, the limit of navigation on the River Camel, and inland farming and mining areas...
and Bodmin North on the former 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...
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...
, in the 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...
, with ten other closed sidings on the branches to Ruthern Bridge and Wenfordbridge. The section from Boscarne Junction to Bodmin General is currently part of the Bodmin and Wenford Steam 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:...
; the line from Wadebridge to Wenfordbridge is now part of the Camel Trail
Camel 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...
, and the line to Ruthern Bridge can be followed for much of its length as it runs parallel to a public road.
Background
The Bodmin and Wadebridge RailwayBodmin 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...
(B&W) opened in 1834 to carry sand brought up the River Camel
River Camel
The River Camel is a river in Cornwall, UK. It rises on the edge of Bodmin Moor and together with its tributaries drains a considerable part of North Cornwall. The river issues into the Celtic Sea area of the Atlantic Ocean between Stepper Point and Pentire Point having covered a distance of...
for use as a soil improver. Extensions were added to Wenfordbridge and Ruthern Bridge to handle freight traffic later that year, particularly stone from the De Lank quarry
De Lank Quarries
De Lank Quarries is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in St Breward parish, north Cornwall, notified in 1994. The quarries have produced typical biotite granites and are of such quality that a slab now forms the base section of the reception desk at the Geological Society of London...
and Tin from the Mulberry mine. In 1847 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...
bought the B&W, and connections to the parent company came via the North Cornwall Line in 1895. Connection to the GWR
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...
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....
was earlier, in 1888, and the line was finally extended to Padstow in 1899. For much of its life the line was famed for the Beattie Well Tanks
LSWR 0298 Class
The London and South Western Railway 0298 Class or Beattie Well Tank is a class of British steam locomotive. They are 2-4-0WT well tanks, originally built between 1863 and 1875 for use on passenger services in the suburbs of London, but later used on rural services in South West England...
, three small engines built in the 1870s and transported to Wadebridge by sea to work the lightly laid curves of the line to Wenfordbridge.
Rifle Range platform
The platform was built around 1880 to serve a firing range with trains only stopping with written permission from the army. Periods of use centred around the Boer WarFirst Boer War
The First Boer War also known as the First Anglo-Boer War or the Transvaal War, was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881-1877 annexation:...
and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Troops were always sent by rail as there was no other means of access. Use of the range ceased after this although the platform, with its cinder surface, was maintained into the 1950s.
Named Shooting Range Platform and used until after 1947.
Grogley Halt
Grogley Halt opened on 2 July 1906 in association with the railmotorRailmotor
Railmotor is a term which was used by several British railway companies for a steam railcar.-Overview:William Bridges Adams started building railmotors as early as 1848, but only in small numbers...
service between Bodmin North and Wadebridge
Wadebridge railway station
Wadebridge railway station was on the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway. It opened in 1834 to transport goods between the market town of Wadebridge, the limit of navigation on the River Camel, and inland farming and mining areas...
although the wooden platform was unlit and trains only stopped during daylight. It is unclear whether any shelter was provided initially, but a GWR style pagoda shelter was provided before 1933, being replaced by a wooden shelter when the platform was rebuilt in concrete in the 1950s. The line just north of Grogley halt was realigned in 1888, the junction to Ruthern Bridge being on the old alignment which was disconnected at one end only. A ground frame controlled the new junction, which thus involved a reversal on the old alignment to gain the Ruthern Bridge line. The early method of accessing the platform across the River Camel
River Camel
The River Camel is a river in Cornwall, UK. It rises on the edge of Bodmin Moor and together with its tributaries drains a considerable part of North Cornwall. The river issues into the Celtic Sea area of the Atlantic Ocean between Stepper Point and Pentire Point having covered a distance of...
is unclear as access was latterly via the bridge that carried the Ruthern Bridge line after that was lifted in 1934. The station closed to passengers on 30 January 1967.
Nanstallon Halt
Originally a single siding, or wharf, was provided here which at one time included a goods shed. The date of the level crossingLevel 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...
and associated 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...
is a matter of conjecture, but the rough track which crossed the railway at this location was improved by the LSWR for the opening of the Halt on 2 July 1906. The halt itself, as at Grogley, was of timber without any form of shelter. A GWR "pagoda" shelter was provided later which lasted into the 1960s. The siding was closed 2 May 1960 and the associated ground frame removed in April 1961. The station closed to passengers on 30 January 1967.
Boscarne Junction
main article Boscarne JunctionBoscarne Junction railway station
Boscarne Junction railway station is a railway station on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway in Cornwall, United Kingdom, and is its current terminus of the railway although it has been projected that an extension to Wadebridge will be constructed...
Boscarne Junction
Boscarne Junction railway station
Boscarne Junction railway station is a railway station on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway in Cornwall, United Kingdom, and is its current terminus of the railway although it has been projected that an extension to Wadebridge will be constructed...
was created in 1888 when the GWR
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...
built a line to connect from their station in Bodmin
Bodmin
Bodmin is a civil parish and major town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated in the centre of the county southwest of Bodmin Moor.The extent of the civil parish corresponds fairly closely to that of the town so is mostly urban in character...
to 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...
. Originally there was a loop on either side of the line, each straddling the junction which was controlled by a signal box; a second and longer loop was added from the signal box extending down the Wenfordbridge line well beyond the junction before 1911. The purpose of the GWR line was to take china clay from Wenford clay dries to the docks at Fowey
Fowey
Fowey is a small town, civil parish and cargo port at the mouth of the River Fowey in south Cornwall, United Kingdom. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,273.-Early history:...
, the traffic having previously been taken by the LSWR to Wadebridge. The line to Wadebridge was truncated at the road just beyond the 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...
in 1981, and the line closed completely on 3 October 1983. Trains returned to Boscarne Junction in 1997 when the Bodmin and Wenford Steam 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:...
built a platform and began operating trains from Bodmin General. This new platform is on the site of Boscarne Exchange Platform see next paragraph.
Boscarne Exchange Platform
From 15 June 1964 the passenger service between Bodmin North and Wadebridge was truncated at Boscarne Junction, passengers from Bodmin North using a shuttle service operated by an AC railbus, also serving Dunmere Halt, to travel as far as Boscarne; onward travel was by using the Bodmin General to Padstow services. In order for passengers to change trains a station was built which must have been one of the smallest stations in England. On the line to Bodmin North it had a small patch of clear ground to allow the AC railbus to lower the ladder fitted below the passenger door, while there was one small platform capable of taking one coach on the line to Bodmin General, this being dominated by a huge sign stating "Boscarne Junction. Change for Dunmere and Bodmin North". There was no shelter, no public access, no tickets, and initially no lighting. The station, referred to in the timetable as Boscarne Exchange Platform, closed on 18 April 1966 when two trains daily from Bodmin General reversed at the junction, travelling to Dunmere halt and Bodmin North before returning and continuing on to Wadebridge.Dunmere Halt
Dunmere Halt was opened, like the halts at Grogley and Nanstallon, on 2 July 1906 in association with the railmotorRailmotor
Railmotor is a term which was used by several British railway companies for a steam railcar.-Overview:William Bridges Adams started building railmotors as early as 1848, but only in small numbers...
service between Bodmin North and Wadebridge
Wadebridge railway station
Wadebridge railway station was on the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway. It opened in 1834 to transport goods between the market town of Wadebridge, the limit of navigation on the River Camel, and inland farming and mining areas...
. The original platform at Dunmere is a matter of conjecture, but in the 1960s it was of concrete with a GWR style pagoda shelter. The halt was situated in a shallow cutting, and access was by a short footpath sloping down from the A389 overbridge which was situated at one end of the platform. The station closed to passengers on 30 January 1967 when operation of the line from Dunmere Junction to Bodmin North ceased. The platform is still in situ today and has been carefully maintained. The trackbed is now a footpath.
Bodmin North
When the Bodmin and Wadebridge RailwayBodmin 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...
opened on 4 July 1834, trains could only get as far as a temporary terminus at Dunmere, the Station at Bodmin not being opened until 30 September 1834. From 1 November 1886 to 1 November 1895 the station was closed to allow for a realignment of the railway at Dunmere, replacing 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...
with an overbridge, and complete renewal of the track. The new station had a single platform face containing the station building and a canopy. South of the platform road was a run-round and a third road giving access to a short siding and a cattle dock, and leaving the line in front of the signal box, a further siding served the 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...
, with a private siding for the gas works opposite. A 50-foot 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...
had been provided before the rebuilding work, and remained connected although usage was low as most passenger trains where operated by tank engines. The station was renamed Bodmin North in 1949 to differentiate it from Bodmin General. Freight facilities were withdrawn on 24 July 1964 and the station closed on 30 January 1967. The station has been completely demolished and the site is now occupied by a supermarket.
St Lawrence Platform
A platform, nominally provided for the hamletHamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of St Lawrence, was opened in 1906 on the GWR line from Bodmin to Boscarne Junction. It closed in 1917.
Bodmin General
Main article Bodmin General railway stationBodmin General railway station
Bodmin General railway station, located in Bodmin, Cornwall, United Kingdom, was the terminus of the Great Western Railway's Bodmin branch line, and is now the principal railway station of the heritage Bodmin and Wenford Steam Railway.-History:...
.
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...
opened a terminus in Bodmin on 27 May 1887, the line diverging 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 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 3 September 1888 a new line connected with the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway at Dunmere Junction.
Passenger services ceased on 30 January 1967, freight services were withdrawn from Bodmin General on 1 May 1967 and the signal box closed later that year but the station was retained as a reversal point for freight trains from Wenford until 3 October 1983. It is now the principal station of the Bodmin and Wenford Steam Railway.
Ruthern Bridge
The extension to Ruthern Bridge was opened on 30 September 1834, and served mines in the locality producing copper, iron and lead, and especially tin from Mulberry Mine. Provision for this traffic was made by two sidings, one of which ran over a series of sand drops; an additional loop capable of accommodating eight wagons was added 6 chainsChain (unit)
A chain is a unit of length; it measures 66 feet or 22 yards or 100 links . There are 10 chains in a furlong, and 80 chains in one statute mile. An acre is the area of 10 square chains...
towards Grogley in 1914. A siding near to Grogley junction was provided at an early date to serve an ochre
Ochre
Ochre is the term for both a golden-yellow or light yellow brown color and for a form of earth pigment which produces the color. The pigment can also be used to create a reddish tint known as "red ochre". The more rarely used terms "purple ochre" and "brown ochre" also exist for variant hues...
pit although this was removed soon after the pit ceased working in 1912. There was never any passenger service, Ruthern Bridge being little more than a small collection of cottages and farms. The line, which climbed steadily at 1 in 158 for most of its length, closed on 29 November 1933 with the track being lifted the following year.
Minor sidings
DunmereThe single trailing siding at Dunmere, which was situated on the left of the line immediately after crossing the A389, was a public siding (as opposed to a private siding), and for much of its life the main traffic was grain for Hawke's mill. Originally termed "borough bounds wharf" for being just outside the Bodmin
Bodmin
Bodmin is a civil parish and major town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated in the centre of the county southwest of Bodmin Moor.The extent of the civil parish corresponds fairly closely to that of the town so is mostly urban in character...
boundary, the siding closed on 14 May 1969 and was removed in November that year.
Penharcard
A single facing siding was provided at Penharcard, although it was closed and removed prior to 1925.
Helland
A single facing siding was provided on the side of the line nearest the River Camel
River Camel
The River Camel is a river in Cornwall, UK. It rises on the edge of Bodmin Moor and together with its tributaries drains a considerable part of North Cornwall. The river issues into the Celtic Sea area of the Atlantic Ocean between Stepper Point and Pentire Point having covered a distance of...
at Helland Wharf. Pictures show the buildings, as at other places on the B&W
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...
, extremely close to the line. The siding closed on 2 May 1960.
Tresarret Quarry
A single facing siding was provided for Tresarret quarry from around 1920. It closed in the mid 1930s.
Stump Oak siding
A loop 7 chains in length was provided at Stump Oak, or Parkyns, around 1880 although this had been removed by 1923.
Tresarret Wharf
At Tresarret there was a loop on the north side of the line some 6 chains in length, this was closed in July 1970 and removed the following year. A shorter siding on the other side of the line was removed on 18 January 1932.
Wenford clay dries
English China Clays Lovering Pochin had six clay dries at Wenford served by a pipe delivering clay slurry from Stannon Moor over four miles distant. Initially there was a loop serving dries 1 and 2, with a line extending back then diverging to give access to dries 3 to 6 which were set back further from the main running line. The first part of the loop and associated access was removed around 1920. Traffic to the dries was coal (inward) and china clay; high quality bagged clay in vans and lower quality in sheeted open wagons called clay hoods. After the closure of Wenfordbridge in 1971 the line ended just beyond the clay dries, 11 miles and 71 chains from Wadebridge. The line closed completely on 3 October 1983.Wenfordbridge
The hamlet of WenfordbridgeWenfordbridge
Wenfordbridge, or Wenford Bridge, is a hamlet some north of Bodmin and on the western flank of Bodmin Moor, in the English county of Cornwall...
was the furthest outpost of the LSWR from London Waterloo. It opened on 30 September 1834 as part of 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...
and changed very little until closure in 1971. There were three sidings for loading and unloading goods, predominantly coal inwards and stone out from local quarries, basic manpower being supplemented in 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...
days by a five ton capacity gantry crane spanning two of the sidings. A fourth siding continued on to the De Lank quarries.
De Lank Quarry
At the end of one of the sidings at Wenfordbridge the line continued, curving sharply off to the right and crossing the public road without barrier or sign before continuing via a rope-worked incline of 1 in 8 over a hill and down to the De Lank QuarriesDe Lank Quarries
De Lank Quarries is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in St Breward parish, north Cornwall, notified in 1994. The quarries have produced typical biotite granites and are of such quality that a slab now forms the base section of the reception desk at the Geological Society of London...
of T W Ward & Sons ½ mile distant. The incline itself was of three rails; the inner or centre rail being common to wagons both ascending and descending the incline. There was no engine working the incline which worked on the balance principle; horsepower was used for shunting until introduction of a simplex shunter in the 1920s. The line was opened in the 1890s and closed around 1940 although the rails across the road remained until 1967.