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All Cornish Branches in a day?

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Gathursty

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Is it possible to ride the Cornish Branch Lines (Gunnislake, Looe, Newquay, Falmouth, St Ives) in one day?

I'm just starting to put together a timetable for myself and I could ignore Falmouth if necessary as I'm more interested in the other branches. (No offence to any Falmouthians on here)

I'd start from Plymouth/St Budeaux/Saltash or somewhere else as I have a car if it is better.

I know that I'd need to prioritise Newquay, Gunnislake and Looe as these have the fewest services.

Has anyone tried or been successful in such a bash? Any tips?? :)

PS: Can I join the Night Sleeper at Plymouth in the same manner as day passengers on the Caledonian Sleeper in Scottish stations? I'd prefer not to faff with reservations.
 
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D6975

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It's just possible on a Saturday using a Cornwall day ranger.
You do the sleeper to St Erth, do St Ives and work your way east. You get back to Plymouth at 20 : 03
 

richw

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Its possible in the week but not on a Ride Cornwall. I have an excel sheet I worked out, but need doing out of order due to Newquay services to get the best times out.

Need to start earlier than 9 though.
 

Buttsy

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I did it in the early 90s and was back in Plymouth by 8 that night. Got the sleeper to Penzance as it connected with St Ives train there.

Based on the old Winter TT, certainly possible and on the penultimate train to/from Gunnislake
 

richw

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A Falmouth and st Ives round trip can squeeze in at any time due to frequency.
My plan has Looe, st Ives and then Newquay and back to Falmouth before Gunnislake.

I live by Liskeard station so was most efficient taking the 0605 to looe.
Newquay has a terrible service these days unfortunately and most of them had bad connections at Par from one direction
 

adrock1976

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What's it called? It's called Cumbernauld
For your information, I managed to do every inch of metal that has regular passenger trains on Friday 3rd July last year. It all went to plan.

I've attached my itinerary below as a pdf.
 

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Buttsy

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Just looked - 09:21 Plymouth, 09:31 Saltash to St Erth will allow you to do all the branches. You will be on the last train to and from Looe as well as Gunnislake.

The change for Gunnislake may be at St Budeaux rather than Plymouth, but Victoria Road might as well be platform 3 of Ferry Road - up the ramp, cross the road, down the ramp.
 

adrock1976

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What's it called? It's called Cumbernauld
Plymouth
0753
Liskeard
0820
Walk to Coombe Jct Halt

Liskeard
0833
Looe
0904
Calls Coombe Jct Halt 0842

Looe
0909
Liskeard
0940
Calls Coombe Jct Halt







Liskeard
0950
Truro
1040



Truro
1120
Falmouth Docks
1144



Falmouth Town
1223
Truro
1248




FG Bus 93 Truro Bus stn 1340 arr SCR 1416 and NQY 1443




St Columb Road
1440
Newquay
1459



Newquay
1501
Par
1547



Par
1552
St Budeaux Ferry Road
1642
Calls Menheniot. Rear doors!

St Budeaux Victoria Road
1648
Gunnislake
1724



Gunnislake
1729
Plymouth
1814



Plymouth
1842
St Erth
2028
Omits Hayle

St Erth
2048
St Ives
2102



St Ives
2103
St Erth
2118



St Erth
2120
Penzance
2131



Penzance
2145
Paddington
0513
Via BPW



PS Is it possible to paste text in table form? I've been having problems in doing so.
 
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Harbornite

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There was an article in the railway magazine from August 2014 in which someone successfully covered all Cornish branches, including the Gunnislake line. He started by doing Gunnislake first, then catching a train to Penzance before working his way back towards Plymouth via all the branches.
 
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