Looe branch line - timetables, cancellations, engineering work, closures and incidents (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I don't think the rails to Moorswater are that rusty, Grahame.  The Moorswater cement train, from Aberthaw in South Wales, runs at least once or twice a week.

I have check Real Time Trains; it ran the day previous to my visit.

Prior experience (I do funny thinks like look at rail tops in various places) would suggest that it takes sustained traffic to have shiny rails, then they go through various degrees of dull moving across to bright orange and then from bright orange to a much duller brown for something really out of use.   Sorry - no detailed look at the track in question but, whilst rusty, it did not scream "unused" to me.

[Presumably the link to the main line is normally locked, and the branch run as “one engine in steam”?

The branch is worked by Key Token between Liskeard Signalbox and Coombe No.2 Ground Frame (working the trap points leading from the Moorswater cement terminal, seen in one of Grahames photographs).  There are Intermediate Key Token instruments at Liskeard Branch Ground Frame and Coombe No.1 Ground Frame with Train Staff working from the latter to Looe.  That arrangement allows a freight service to access from Liskeard to Moorswater whilst the passenger service train is on the branch from Coombe Junction to Looe.

Not sure the main instrument is in the signal box - there's a hut on platform 3:



Where our driver went in and seemed to be working an instrument and on the phone - I suspect he took in a token and the points key, returned the token and got out a new one (or the same one again having put it through the machine?).  Came out and waved it to show the train manager.

[stuving]

Not sure the main instrument is in the signal box - there's a hut on platform 3:

But that's only a token hut!

[SandTEngineer]

OK this is going to get a bit technical now.  There are two types of Key Token Instrument (originally manufactured by TYERS), an TERMINAL INSTRUMENT and an INTERMEDIATE INSTRUMENT.  The Terminal Instrument is normally located in a manned signalbox at each end of the single line section, in this case Liskeard signalbox.

An Intermediate Instrument is normally located at places that require access to the single line that are usually operated by Train Crew operated Ground Lever Frames, mechanically released by the single line section key token.  On the Looe branch these are located on Liskeard Platform No.3, in the hut shown in Grahames photograph, Coombe Junction No.1 Ground Frame that controls the points giving access to Looe, and Coombe Junction No.2 Ground Frame controlling the trap points giving access to the Moorswater Cement Sidings. 

To release a token from a Terminal Instrument requires the Terminal Instrument at the remote end to be operated thus giving a release at the opposite remote end.  To release a token from an Intermediate Instrument requires both Terminal Instruments to be be operated together.  But hang on, there is no signalbox at the Coombe Junction end of the section, so no signaller available to operate the Terminal Instrument there. Well, there is a special electrical circuit that replicates the actions of a signaller that is operated from the remote, Liskeard end, of the section.  The circuits are really quite staightforward and the system is fail safe in that only one key token can be free in the section at any one time.

So, to sum that all up, the Single line section in this case is supervised and controlled by the Liskeard signaller.

[RichardB]

Here's more on the reprieve.  Barbara Castle made the announcement on 20 September 1966 with the three Cornish lines part of 29 decisions in all.  I attached a scan of p1 and p2 of the MoT press release (from the National Archives).  At the bottom of page 1, you'll see why she reprieved Looe and St Ives -

"“Several of my decisions affect holiday areas.  I have refused to close the branch lines serving St Ives and Looe in Cornwall.  In spite of the financial saving to the railways, it just wouldn’t have made sense in the wider context to have transferred heavy holiday traffic on to roads which couldn’t cope with it.  Nor would extensive and expensive road improvements have been the answer.  At St Ives, these would have involved destroying the whole character of the town.  At Looe, they could not have avoided long delays in the holiday season.  It would be the economics of Bedlam to spend vast sums only to create greater inconvenience.”

Padstow went because the view was taken that the roads and buses could cope.  It was as simple as that. 

I've also attached the report of the decisions from the following day's Western Morning News.  You'll recognise the name of the reporter.

[infoman]

Country file are covering Looe on BBC1 on Sunday,still waiting if their gonna pay a visit to the train station.

[grahame]

[snip]

Padstow went because the view was taken that the roads and buses could cope.  It was as simple as that. 

I've also attached the report of the decisions from the following day's Western Morning News.  You'll recognise the name of the reporter.

Interesting to note that it was the Summer Saturday crowds issues that saved Newquay - from that newspaper article

Certainly, if it is considered that buses would have difficulty in coping with peak week-end traffic at St. Ives, the same would surely be true at Newquay, where even this summer lengthy trains have disgorged hundreds of people together.

Also interested to read comment about removing the reversal at Coombe:

Consideration might be given to abolishing the reversal at Coombe Junction on the Looe line by providing a direct line from Liskeard towards Looe; it is pity that the Ministry of Transport does not give grants for this kind of scheme so enable lines to be run more cheaply.

[SandTEngineer]

There are some wonderful photographs of Coombe Junction as it used to be here: http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/looe-branch-including-moorswater.html

[Andy]

[snip]

Padstow went because the view was taken that the roads and buses could cope.  It was as simple as that. 

I've also attached the report of the decisions from the following day's Western Morning News.  You'll recognise the name of the reporter.

Interesting to note that it was the Summer Saturday crowds issues that saved Newquay - from that newspaper article

Certainly, if it is considered that buses would have difficulty in coping with peak week-end traffic at St. Ives, the same would surely be true at Newquay, where even this summer lengthy trains have disgorged hundreds of people together.

Also interested to read comment about removing the reversal at Coombe:

Consideration might be given to abolishing the reversal at Coombe Junction on the Looe line by providing a direct line from Liskeard towards Looe; it is pity that the Ministry of Transport does not give grants for this kind of scheme so enable lines to be run more cheaply.

I believe the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) had plans to build a branch from St. Germans to Looe in the mid 1930s but the outbreak of WW II put an end to the idea.

[grahame]

I believe the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) had plans to build a branch from St. Germans to Looe in the mid 1930s but the outbreak of WW II put an end to the idea.

See https://spellerweb.net/rhindex/UKRH/GreatWestern/Narrowgauge/StGermansLooe.html - more text, pictures, map, etc

... the Great Western Railway in 1935 projected a new 7-mile branch from Trerule Junction, just west of St. Germans on the Paddington to Penzance main line, to Looe. The line would have involved some quite heavy engineering works including ... [snip] ...Work commenced on the line 1937 but was suspended owing to World War II and never completed.

[grahame]

10:00 Liskeard to Looe due 10:25
An additional bus service has been planned to operate as shown 10:00 Liskeard to Looe due 10:25.

And at 11:00 and 12:00
Back at 16:00, 17:00 and 18:00.

Good - I sort of think.   Good on the railways / public transport provider to have added capacity.   But, really, is Looe going to be able to handle the numbers arriving, and should people be looking for quieter places to be going?  Is the provision of extra capacity over distance-normal sending the wrong signal?

[bobm]

It may also be to better dovetail with the revised service on the mainline.

The first through train from Paddington arrives at Liskeard at 11:40 and the bus at 12:00 saves nearly an hour’s wait.

[RichardB]

10:00 Liskeard to Looe due 10:25
An additional bus service has been planned to operate as shown 10:00 Liskeard to Looe due 10:25.

And at 11:00 and 12:00
Back at 16:00, 17:00 and 18:00.

Good - I sort of think.   Good on the railways / public transport provider to have added capacity.   But, really, is Looe going to be able to handle the numbers arriving, and should people be looking for quieter places to be going?  Is the provision of extra capacity over distance-normal sending the wrong signal?

I was down there on Thursday last week which was a lovely sunny day.  It was busy, but not overly so.  The branch trains were decently well used but again not overly so - I counted 61 on 11 36 LSK - LOO, for example.   I went to St Ives the following day - drizzly and overcast - and that was busier still.  I saw the 15 03 ex St Ives arrive at St Erth and travelled on the 15 18 out and back (so 15 33 ex St Ives) - easily 100 off at St Erth from both trains and the 15 33 had 30-40 off at Carbis Bay too.  Trains are running at their usual 4 coaches for this time of year so not too packed. 

Bob's point about connections is a good one.  We're missing the additional PLY^» (Plymouth - next trains)-PNZ trains so some connections at Liskeard are longer than anyone would like so the buses will help there but, of course, it's not the same, far from it.

[RichardB]

Thinking more about it, I'm guessing the buses are "belt and braces" to make sure the trains don't get too busy given the very hot weather forecast for today. 

[LiskeardRich]

Social distancing duplicate

[Jamsdad]

Looe, Newquay, Falmouth, St Ives, and coastal towns in Cornwall without a train are are all very busy. Quite possibly the Looe branch was overcrowded. A lot of Plymouth folk use the train to go there for a day out. I will ask my friends at Liskeard Station for the back story!