A journey in the faaar west - Penzance to St Ives - 28th Jan 2025

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Once a train or bus service gets to a certain frequency, it becomes "turn up and go - don't worry about the timetable".  And so it was on Tuesday on the middle-of-the-day trip from Penzance to St Ives, changing at St Erth along the way.  Trains leave Penznce every half hour ... and I'm not exactly sure which we got on.  And connections at St Erth run every 30 minutes to St Ives.  The rail industry acknowledges this at St Erth by telling you that the "connection" really isn't - that the branch train won't wait, and explains there'll be another along in half an hour.

[broadgage]

RE^▸ (Religious Education) the first picture of saint Michaels mount, it is not widely known that a private railway, or at least a cable hauled tramway exists on the island. Not open to the public and not intended to carry passengers. It runs from the harbour to the kitchen door of the castle. Still in regular use for groceries, building materials, and refuse.
The winding machine that hauls the cable was originally worked by a gas engine, but now an electric motor is used.

The rolling stock resembles a steamer trunk, and a special articulated vehicle was built to carry scaffold poles, ladders and similar long items to facilitate building works.

[froome]

If you do find yourself having to wait at St Erth for up to 30 minutes, what facilities does the station have? Waiting room, toilets, any refreshments?

We will be heading to St Ives in March so would be good to know.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Try this, from National Rail.

Good luck!  CfN 

[grahame]

If you do find yourself having to wait at St Erth for up to 30 minutes, what facilities does the station have? Waiting room, toilets, any refreshments?

We will be heading to St Ives in March so would be good to know.

Try this, from National Rail.

Good luck!  CfN 

The ticket office, toilets and waiting rooms will have the following changes to planned opening hours
Monday 3rd - Thursday 6th February - 07:45 - 15:00
Tickets can be bought from the ticket machine or digitally.

That's an intersting metric ... noted at St Erth

Ticket sales are typically going to be earlier in the day - day returns, and from St Erth tickets for long distance journeys to the Far East (i.e. beyond Exeter) where people set off earlier in the day.

Toilets and waiting room are going to be needed at any time people are changing, including when they are changing onto and off the branch in the evening.  I noted when we got back from St Ives that a number of passengers walked up to the station building, but staff (train crew) directed them up the ramp onto the main platform and around the outside of the shut building.

People want toilets and warm waiting rooms whenever they are changing or catching a train.  But the rail industry is only providing them at the times of day that they are collecting money ....

[ChrisB]

One word - vandalism/drugs. We can't be trusted.

[Chris from Nailsea]

That's two words - but I don't disagree with your reasoning.

CfN. 

[ChrisB]

Either would do.

[grahame]

Gentlemen, your reasoning is correct but I take issue with the use of "we".  ChrisB - I would not have seen you as either a vandal or a (none-medicine) drug user, but please do not include me in the "we".   Yes, we have an issue and I'm sure your reasoning is right - but is it right for the antisocial behaviour of a few to impact on the travel comfort of the many, making that comfort only available when it's operationally convenient to the train / railway operator?

[ChrisB]

It's more than a few Graham, and unfortunately, it affects everyone.

[grahame]

It's more than a few Graham, and unfortunately, it affects everyone.

I live in a town of 25,000 ... and I would suspect that fewer than 100 vandalise - that's 0.4%.  Rather more are drug users if you include alcohol, but even those who overdo it are in the main not agressive or damaging (beyond urinating where they shouldn't - a problem reduced if the loos are open!)

[ChrisB]

You are on the town council - I suggest you leave your public toilets open overnight & see how long they last before being vandalised.....

[Chris from Nailsea]

I live in a town with a population of 20,000 (I have included the Wraxall estate, simply because it is within our circumference).

At our local railway station, we have two ticket machines, but no toilets, no waiting rooms nor disabled access up to platform 1.

None of that is due to vandalism. Other than Dr Richard Beeching, obviously. 

CfN.