Why don't through trains run to Cornish branches?

[MarkyT]

I agree. Even if you were to rebuild the Burngullow route...

I think rerouting would be the best option for Newquay as a standalone branch, while retaining the possibility of direct running of some longer distance trains in the summer. On the face of it the project would require reinstatement of only about 3km of unobstructed trackbed between St Dennis Jn and Treviscoe while it would allow abandonment of about 10km of route between and St Dennis Jn and Goonbarrow Jn, from which track would be remain to Par, simplified for freight traffic only. Stations or nearby settlements losing service via the old branch would gain a more useful bus service to St Austell, where that does not exist today, and a handful of new branch stations on the Treviscoe line could be provided, most likely including St Dennis. At St Austell station, the Newquay branch trains could reverse in the siding to the east of the station (with the GF points converted to signalbox control), or they could continue to Par platform #3 to reverse. More problematic is separating passenger and freight traffic along the extant route around Treviscoe and at Burngullow Jn itself with suitable siding trapping and additional facilities for clay trains to wait and shunt clear of the single line branch.

 

[jopsuk]

The ideal with the Burngullow route would be v.expensive- not just the extra sidings for the clay trains (though how much longer they'll run...) but stations at Foxhole, Treviscoe, St Dennis and maybe even Trewoon and Carlyon Bay, with suitable infrastructure for higher frequency- eg half hourly- to make it a truly useful railway for locals, if speeds could be made high enough. Slow, infrequent, trains don't form part of a useful local transport network

 

[Deafdoggie]

The ideal with the Burngullow route would be v.expensive- not just the extra sidings for the clay trains (though how much longer they'll run...) but stations at Foxhole, Treviscoe, St Dennis and maybe even Trewoon and Carlyon Bay, with suitable infrastructure for higher frequency- eg half hourly- to make it a truly useful railway for locals, if speeds could be made high enough. Slow, infrequent, trains don't form part of a useful local transport network

And it is this cost which is why it hasn't happened!

 

[Parallel]

RE The Newquay branch intermediate stations not providing much traffic - Bugle is probably the busiest, having some relatively new looking housing near by. I wonder if there would be scope or re-opening a station at St Blazey at some point if trains ever run through to Plymouth. It is only about 3 minutes from Par but the town/village looks larger than the latter.

 

[marky7890]

Regarding the Falmouth branch, much of it's growth has been due to the University which has a campus in Penryn as well as one in Falmouth with thousands of students in the area adding to the branches usage.

Also especially in summer months it's quicker to go by train from Penryn or Falmouth to Truro than by road (maybe cheaper too with Cornwall Councils expensive car parking tariffs) due to most of the A39 being single carriageway with several round abouts making it quite a slow road, with other A roads joining it from Helston and Redruth directions. Where as the railway is 50mph most of the length.

 

[nw1]

Disclaimer: I've only ever visited the Newquay area in high summer, but (without extensive experience of the area) I can see that the suggested idea of a Plymouth Newquay service would make sense possibly in all seasons. I can imagine that for 6 or 7 months of the year it would be well used by daytrippers to the Newquay area, but even in the winter when few people might be travelling to Newquay it could act as both the branch service and the 'local' mainline all-stations service west of Plymouth - and might encourage more passengers without costing too much. Maybe (depending on what else is running on the main line) it could even be an even-interval, two-hourly (give or take adjustments to fit in with inter-city services) service pattern.

 

[83G/84D]

It is a pity that the once mooted re-opening of the Burngullow Junction to St. Dennis Junction line never happened. This would have connected St. Austell to Newquay, thus increasing local traffic and shortening the branch, improving unit utilisation. For the sake of a few miles of track, some signalling work and a new bay at St. Austell, a far better service could have been provided.

There were plans drawn up in the late 80's / early 90's that would have resulted in trains terminating at St Austell, shunting clear into the siding then coming out onto the down line. Another option was extension of journeys to and from Par where they would reverse. This would have helped crewing requirements as the traincrew are based at Par.

 

[MarkyT]

I was at Reading signalling drawing office at the time and although not directly involved I saw the plans being prepared by the development section. They were hopeful of some funding for the project from the A30 widening which could thus simply take over the rail alignment in the Goss Moor area and avoid some difficult bridge and level crossing reconstructions, but in the end the DoT chose a different alignment altogether for the road so the funding dried up.

 

[HSTEd]

Why is the existing Newquay line so slow?
It seems to have relatively straight sections and yet much of it is signposted for MU35 or MU40 or even slower

 

[Surreytraveller]

Why is the existing Newquay line so slow?
It seems to have relatively straight sections and yet much of it is signposted for MU35 or MU40 or even slower

Only a guess... Condition of track, level crossings, signal sighting