Great Western Coffee Shop

Good news from From the Falmouth packet:

New earlier Sunday train on the Truro to Falmouth Maritime Line from next week
First Great Western is to run a new earlier train on Sunday mornings on the Truro - Falmouth ^Maritime Line^ starting this Sunday, 8 December.

The new train will leave Truro station at 9.01am, arriving at Falmouth Docks at 9.25am and return from Falmouth Docks at 9.35am, arriving at Truro at 10 01. It will call at all stations in both directions, including Perranwell as a request stop. Currently the first Sunday train leaves Truro at 10.38am and Falmouth Docks at 11.09am.

Richard Burningham, manager of the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, which works to promote the Maritime Line and other branch lines in the two counties said ^It is great that First Great Western are to run this new earlier Sunday morning train. An earlier Sunday train from Falmouth has been an aspiration of passengers for some time and it is something we and the Maritime Line Forum have been working to see happen.


"It will be particularly useful for those making long trips as it will allow them to make an earlier start from Falmouth and Penryn by train, without the need to make their own way to Truro.^

Mr Burningham added: ^This new train is only possible because of the huge investment Network Rail has put into renewing track on the Maritime Line over the last few years. It^s another sign of the Maritime Line^s recent transformation.^

It is just eleven years since Winter Sunday trains returned to the Maritime Line for the first time since the 1960s, thanks to funding from Cornwall County Council among others, organised by the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership.

Since then, September 2002, ten trains have run each way on Sundays all year round. This now rises to eleven.

The new Maritime Line Sunday morning train is part of the new rail timetable which begins on Sunday, December 8. Rail users throughout Cornwall are advised to check their train times. Information about the new timetable can be obtained from staffed stations, online at www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk or from National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50.

Good news indeed - congratulations, RichardB!  :D

Well done to all concerned. It's great to see this line going from strength to strength.  :) 

Thanks Gents.  It's great stuff and this new Sunday morning train is an excellent example of rail industry co-operation.  FGW wanted to run this earlier train and NR agreed that they would reduce the time they have for daylight patrolling of the line to do it - only made possible, as I mentioned in the press release, because of the major renewals of the last few years.

First trip up to Truro this Sunday, two coaches full and standing by Penryn.
Testament that it was needed!

Thanks for this, Jester.  Something very similar happened when a new earlier Sunday morning service started from Barnstaple a couple of years ago.

Great news.