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Allegedly a Tweet late this evening from Cherilyn Mackrory MP indicates that the 'go ahead' has been announced - Nothing on DfT site yet.

https://www.cherilynmackrory.org.uk/news/mid-cornwall-metro-project-track-levelling-plans-win-government-approval

EDIT FOUND IT

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/landmark-levelling-up-fund-to-spark-transformational-change-across-the-uk

A £50 million grant will help create a new direct train service, linking 4 of Cornwall’s largest urban areas: Newquay, St Austell, Truro, and Falmouth/Penryn.

Wondering about the implications of 'Direct'...

[Edit] Ah, 'Direct' as in 'Through trains Falmouth-Newquay'.

Mark

However, two units on the Falmouth branch and one on Newquay, so maybe an additional unit required?
In addition to additional unit(s) for the Portishead/Avonmouth/Bristol line.
With the HST's going, more units required - splitting the 800's in 5 car for long distances will cause serious overcrowding.  So where will these additional units come from?
There's several 769's going spare..................(NO, not a serious suggestion).

How is timing on the release of some units by TfW ... 150s, 153s, 158s should become available at some point. Depends on the timescale for the loop at St Dennis to up the service to hourly, I suspect.  Will the loop at Goonbarrow remain?

Interview on Radio Cornwall by Andy Bowes-Roden, deputy editor of Modern Railways, dealing with the announcement. Mention that BR closed the wrong Newquay line fir this to have much effect.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0dxckgn

Having the St Dennis line in would have helped greatly but still plenty of positives. Lots of news outlets are choosing to focus on the Newquay-Falmouth direct element of it, but for me, the bigger benefits lie within:

• Hourly services to/from Newquay = better connectivity and attractiveness
• Earlier/later services than currently
• Direct St Austell-Newquay journeys
• Direct St Austell-Falmouth journeys
• More capacity on the Newquay branch for special events
• Direct London-Newquay services to supplement the hourly timetable
  

It will be interesting to see how the clay traffic fits around this timetable.

Yes, Goonbarrow Junction loop will remain, Graham. 

BBC spotlight(south west of England local news) at 18:30pm on thursday had a good item on the above story.

Play again facilty available for TWENTY FOURS ONLY.

Thanks for that clarification.  It makes sense, with the clock face / hourly Newquay to Falmouth trains crossing at St Dennis, and other services such as the train from London passing the regular service at Goonbarrow and getting into Newquay just before the next service to Falmouth (the one that was ahead of it) leaves.  An intermediate signal to let two trains follow on the single line into Newquay may be needed, but I'm getting down to fine detail.  On this scenario, the long distance train has an appropriate longer turn around time at Newquay than the Falmouth train - neat!

As I understand it (and RichardB undertands it far better than I do), with the two loops the line's capacity is an hourly clock face service PLUS one extra train per 2 hours each way all the way to Newquay; that path could also be used for the clay trains to Goonbarrow / I would need to do further work to understand London express (and could we have Cross Country to Manchester or Leeds?) interaction with the clay.

On another note, I concur that through traffic end to end (Newquay to Falmouth Dock) will be only a small part of the business the train does - the vast majority being intermediate traffic, but lots of that traffic being "across" Par and "across" Truro giving lots of people on the various segments of the route.   There's a parallel here with the number of passengers on trains leaving Cardiff Central who are destined for Portsmouth Harbour being pretty small, though the trains are so busy that they consistently should be 5 carriages long.

I suspect the two main improved passenger flows will be Truro -St Austell, which should have a very good, and genuinely walk-up service when you add in n the current half hourly service, and more long-distance connections through to Newquay at Par. The infrequency of the current Newquay -Par  deters a fair few from travelling on up country. I still think rerouting the Newquay brach via Burngullow  has to be the longer term preference.

The siding at St Austell could be used to reverse trains.
One of the stock moves of a 150 is the train operating the Looe branch stables overnight at Par then does the Newquay service the following day as it doesn't need refuelling. A 150 has quite a complicated week starting at Exeter on the Devon Metro on to Gunnislake, into Cornwall on to the branches being serviced at Penzance before heading back to Exeter. Don't know how long the cycle take.

Interesting interview with Steve Double MP about Mid Cornwall Metro on Radio Cornwall from last week.  Starts at 18 min 30s.  As you'll see, we have a bit of work to do to promote the benefits of the project.....      https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0dssr45

Indeed you have, Richard.  I'm comforted by hearing an MP very much more knowledgable than some I have come across, and no objections that are from "left field".  Misunderstanding that its prime role is for passengers getting on at Newquay and travelling all the way to Falmouth, and the usual NIMBY or reverse NIMBY - "why is the money not all being spent in MY town".   (( I have described this here so we have a historic recording after the radio show has been overwritten ))

Given how much Newquay has grown, and in keeping with the "metro" concept of this project, I wonder if a halt halfway between Quintrell Downs and Newquay, somewhere in the vicinity of Treloggan Industrial Estate-Tretherras-Trencreek, providing a fast connection between the housing/industrial estates inland and the town centre/beaches, across the valley spanned by Trenance viaduct, might be something worth exploring. Also, a park-and-ride facility at St Columb Road just off the A30 could generate custom and reduce congestion in the summer months.

Link doesn't work for me but there's an older interview, including a rebuttal of the Mayor of Falmouth saying that it is a complete waste of money. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0dxq0xq (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0dxq0xq)

Maybe looking a bit dodgy....
https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/grave-concerns-financial-risk-57m-8923372

Unfortunately, there remains a vocal minority cohort, down here who wouldn't be happy with a daily gold plated pasty, wrapped in a winning lottery ticket.  I suspect most of them work for Cornwall Live. 

I still miss the free crayons for use in the comments....

This Wednesday is the key Cornwall Council Cabinet meeting where the decision will be taken whether the Council wishes to proceed with the Mid Cornwall Metro project or not.  As has been seen in the report of the Scrutiny Committee, if they go ahead, the Council will be the Accountable Body, responsible for picking up any overspends.

The papers for the meeting are now online and make for a fascinating read  https://democracy.cornwall.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=577&MId=13001&Ver=4 (https://democracy.cornwall.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=577&MId=13001&Ver=4)

Looks like its been approved

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-news/transport-streets-and-waste/green-light-for-mid-cornwall-metro-initiative-to-transform-transport-links-in-cornwall/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Orlo (https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-news/transport-streets-and-waste/green-light-for-mid-cornwall-metro-initiative-to-transform-transport-links-in-cornwall/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Orlo)

Certainly has.  Great news.

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/once-generation-mid-cornwall-metro-8972641 (https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/once-generation-mid-cornwall-metro-8972641)

  ::)

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/cornwall-public-transport-call-extra-8970904?fbclid=IwAR3XOaTqejGmWY3H5oa82DZ_Kd15Xc8EsPM1IhsnzyLLdtgnnHOId4mp6E8

Bert Biscoe, who is a great guy, has been calling for this for years.  It's not going to happen.

If a new halt is built on the MCM route, it should be near Trencreek in Newquay, in my opinion. The town is spreading inland quite rapidly and a rail link connecting the newly developed areas across Trenance valley viaduct to the town centre would be far quicker than any car/bus. St Columb Road would make a good park and ride site for traffic off the A30/A39 into Newquay, too.

The MCM now has it's own website -

https://midcornwallmetro.com

The local publicity drive started today.

It looks good, but will they have the stock. 150s might be available from Wales because 2 car trains between Truro/Par and Newquay might not be enough.

Will they make the loop as long as possible so it becomes dynamic and the trains do not have to stop?

We been told TFW to start sending class 150s off lease from August but it will be as units come up for major examples.

 This will depend though znd how the rollout of the class 756s on the valley lines goes and further introduction of the class 197s

Is it possible to access platform 3 from the up main line, or can the line to Newquay be accessed from platform 2? It has been a while since I've visited Par station despite having been born in St. Austell. Is it possible to access the down main line from platform 2 or platform 3?

From what I can tell, the Newquay branch (plat 3) connects to the up main (plat 2) and then there is a crossover to the down main

I would agree

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/partop.jpg)

The extra crossover being out of shot.

correct, and at both ends as well.

FROM PERSONAL contacts, the apathy and antagonism to this plan from my acquaintances and on Facebook leads me to think that it won't progress to a conclusion. I note already apparent cutbacks, no mention is made on the website of the proposed platform extension at Falmouth Town and the enhancement of Falmouth Docks. I also fear that the reversal time at Par will be detrimental to the overall experience. The question of new rolling stock has to be raised too, using 20+ year old equipment on a 'flagship' scheme really isn't on. I note the discussion elsewhere on replacement rolling stock for local services might have relevance. 

Actually 37-40 year old stock, but your point is well made.

I had previously thought about posting that perhaps this should be promoted as a heritage diesel experience........

Might this change soon in the light of recent posts about tendering for new stock for the GW network?

Tfws 150279 is due to eave Landore depot soon to go to sims for scrap

My first reaction was horror - but this is a unit that's been OOU due to fire damage since May 2022
http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/26386

You've got to start somewhere with any kind of rail improvements and for most punters a train is a train - so long as it's on-time, clean, a nice temperature, well lit and doesn't break down they will be happy.

That gets the early-adopters on, people change their behaviour, even move house to take advantage in some cases, and as ridership builds, so does the business case for longer and more frequent trains, infrastructure enhancements etc.

The way that Network Rail works these days is that little gets announced until it's costed, planned & agreed with all concerned. The Falmouth station improvements are likely still in the planning stages.

Using older stock doesn't seem to have done the Okehampton line much harm.

Melksham started off with single car 153s, as did the new service via Kenilworth.  The latter then went to 2-car Class 172s and now Class 196s - all in the space of five years.

Get it in and established, and then you can develop it.

I hope the digger owner's insurers have paid for replacement DMUs.

I am not sure if this relates to the need for the extra platform at Newquay and the new passing loop at Goss Moor but the engineering works section on GWR's website says that buses replace trains between Par and Newquay from Monday 18th November until Sunday 01st December.

Dave

Interesting if so, but I suspect it's the return of the annual maintenance, vegetation clearance schedules previously run. If so I'd expect to see similar closures on the St. Ives, Falmouth, Looe and Gunnislake branches timetabled shortly.

Thanks to the Tall Controller for the photos he has just posted on Twitter of work underway at Newquay on the new second platform

 https://twitter.com/DCRailPart/status/1828749943542341841  (https://twitter.com/DCRailPart/status/1828749943542341841)

Just trying out the current, semi Cornwall metro. 11.55 Truro to Newquay, arrives at 13.10. Interestingly it only has 2 minutes at Par, I'll see how it actually does.

It is only a 2-car 150, so it should manage the two minutes  ;)

Reversing at Par not a problem and arrived in Newquay at 13.07, 3 early

They are really cracking on with the second platform at Newquay.  Here's a piece from the Newquay Voice which includes a short video of the contractors at work.  Apologies for all the ads!

 https://www.voicenewspapers.co.uk/news/work-on-second-platform-at-newquay-train-station-taking-shape-719347  (https://www.voicenewspapers.co.uk/news/work-on-second-platform-at-newquay-train-station-taking-shape-719347)

How long is the new platform going to be?

The sharp curve to the right will make dispatch far from ideal.

It'll be about 85m and only for the branch trains. 

Will the points be further out (to future proof a later extension) or immediately after the platform?

They'll need to be beyond the platform in order to allow trains in and out while a longer train is stabled in the existing platform.

Thanks - I now realise my question was badly-phrased.  :-[

I meant will the points be at the end of the "long"/current platform or further out?

 
 

Not sure on that one I'm afraid, although even if it is next to the end of the platform, there's still plenty of room for extension.

One element of the project needs addressing quickly, the absolutely dire state of mobile coverage to/from Par until the trains from/to Newquay get to/from Roche. If this is a serious investment on the route, whoever is planning this needs to talk urgently to the Mobile operators and get this sorted PDQ. A forced break in connection will be most unwelcome.

Can someone post a link to Google Maps (or similar) showing the location of the passing loop? It really is poor that such work plans are not piublished in detail from NR.

It’s from roughly 293 3/4 to 294 mileposts.  To be known as Goss Moor Loop.

The new signalling is to be commissioned on Monday 24th March.  The existing electronic token block and one-train working is being replaced by ‘proper’ colour light signals controlled from Goodbarrow Junction box using axle counters.  Existing semaphores will remain at the box with Track Circuits.

I’m not sure if the new signals will feed out to the wider world so we can see the trains on the likes of Signalmaps and OpenTrainTimes…let’s hope so!

So that would be just north/west of the site of St Dennis Junction where the A30 crosses the line?

St Dennis Jcn 294m 17ch.  So the nearest milepost to the old junction was 294 1/4.  So you're right

So here then

https://www.google.com/maps/@50.4044747,-4.9046099,749m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDEyMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Maybe a small platform for the Gnome World inhabitants could be provided at the same time?

If a small platform is to be added, I reckon it should be by Treloggan crossing between Quintrell Downs and Newquay. Newquay is hilly, sprawling and growing very fast (a bit like Falmouth) and a halt inland enabling travel into the town centre/beaches from the outskirts, and towards St Austell without having to get into the town centre first would fit in with the metro concept.

I think a trick was missed in putting a loop on Goss Moor instead of relaying the 2m of track from St Dennis Junction to Parkandillack. That would have effectively created a huge loop between Par & St Dennis junction. That said, it's great to see the "poor relation" of Cornish branches finally being invested in.
 

 

Although the missing section is only 2 miles long would the existing track from Parkandillack to Burngullow then need to be altered/upgraded to be suitable for passenger traffic? That would inevitably add significant extra costs, plus there would be need for at least one level crossing on the missing section, all of which would probably tip the cost to benefit ratio too far the wrong way  :-\

I would quite like to see a new station for Nansledan which is only going to continue growing towards the railway line. If it went on the new road between Nansledan and the A392, it could also serve the south/east end of Newquay quite nicely.

You're right.  I know the County Council and then Cornwall Council looked long and hard at the Parkandillack line more than once and it was just too expensive to convert to a passenger line, on top of the extra cost of the connection to the existing line.  I don't know the detail.

   

Drove east on the A30 this morning, got a couple of seconds of glimpse of the cleared loop area on Goss Moor, Are there any recommendations for a 'viewpoint'? I really have tried to find one on the maps without apparent success.

This made the BBC local news tonight, with a report on the  BBC website for Cornwall  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgj545j52wno)


(Continues at source)

The only downside seems to be a period of line closure with bustitutions for the next month.

item on Monday 24 February 2025

Par to Newquay branch line closed for the next month up to and including Sunday 23rd March 2025 due to the following works

Goss Moor 400 meters of new track also improvements at St Blazey and renovation work on the ponts mill viaduct

cost of works 50 million pounds

Mentioned earlier here -
https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=27102.msg358774#msg358774

Wouldn't that look nice with some overhead electrification and a Stadler unit in GWR green?

Or battery - less knitting!

Are they still using bullhead rail, or is it an old photo

Pretty current picture.   Here is how it looked five years ago


(https://www.wellho.info/pix/nqy20200320.jpg)

Got as close as possible to the Goss Moor loop today after finally sussing out where to be to do that. The site is a complete mudbath after the weekend. It really looks, although obviously it isn't going to be, like an impossible job.

I read in RAIL magazine that the hourly Newquay branch service won’t be starting until September.

https://midcornwallmetro.com/2025/02/stage-three-of-mid-cornwall-metro-work-underway/ (https://midcornwallmetro.com/2025/02/stage-three-of-mid-cornwall-metro-work-underway/)

Here's the latest on the scheme.  Looking at that Rail piece, it says the commissioning work for the signals will be in September and the service introduction will be after that.  Slightly different to saying the service will start in Sept.  Too early to say and we'll see soon enough.

Perhaps a word could be had with HRH The Duke to see if the Duchy might be inclined to contribute to the financing of a "Nansleden Platform/Nansleden Road/Gorsaf Nansleden".

 

Some stunning photos in this Facebook Group of the loop and associated works, including one, taken from a drone, showing two trains side-by-side within the loop. (Not direct linking due copyright claims on some)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/384010423010289/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=1403705101040811

And many more on the CRS news page: http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/latest-input--news--old-pictures-etc

I think this has been discussed elsewhere, but Quintrell Downs station is about a mile away and given the short distance, there's little sense in adding an extra station between there and Newquay.

Of course what would really make a difference is trams - the airport alone gets 400k passengers/year and has 500 people working around it. If the Duchy could somehow kick that off, even with an electric bus "virtual tramway" - that would surely make a huge difference to the town. 
 

I think this shows where a chunk of the money's going....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8j0vpyll03o

I have now expanded the heading of this topic, in the interests of clarity and ease of future reference.

CfN.  :)

The layman could be forgiven for thinking that an hourly service between Newquay and Falmouth is just a little underwhelming, but work like this keeps the whole thing working for the next century or so, and those extra services could be transformative for the whole network.

I'm sure Melksham would love an underwhelming hourly service.. ;D

latest story from the BBC... Through Newquay - Falmouth from 2026..

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpwdl4qdj12o

George Collinson of Network Rail is quoted by the BBC as saying:



I'm pretty sure this is a bit wrong.  St Dennis Junction had a loop and wasn't abolished until some time in ?? the 1980s ??