St Erth to St Ives line - ongoing discussion, including a book about the line (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[Mark A]

Um, it used to descend onto a slipway or pier there. I can't recall if stairs were involved.

Mark

[eightonedee]

How thoughtful of Network Rail - a special exit for all those smugglers you keep being told about when you visit Cornwall!

[RichardLong]

For info, the Pen & Sword website has a sale on at the moment, with 30% off on all their titles, which means you can pre-order the St Ives book for only £17.50, plus postage: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-St-Ives-Branch-Line-A-History-Hardback/p/21452

[Mark A]

A bit of a riff on St Erth station, in its new role as park and ride.

'Reasons' yesterday gave me the opportunity to change from the branch onto the 18:00 London train at St Erth at the end of yesterday afternoon, and the junction station's new role as park and ride certainly needs quite a lot of admin, even with the modest sized ( and moderately rammed) 2 carriage St Ives train.

The overall impression was that the branch is thoroughly capacity constrained - not sure how this is working for long distance rail passengers as they'll be at risk of being displaced by the park and ride people.

First up, St Ives... there wasn't much opportunity to buy a ticket *from* St Ives as the ticket machine was flakey, a queue attempting to purchase, and in any case the machine didn't seem to know about railcards. Once on the train, there was no space for the train crew to come through and check tickets.

Once at St Erth, the accesses between the bay platform and the up main platform being for the most part closed off with tape, either single use or barrier tape, the returning park and ride people were channeled through the station building and, for the people heading for the down-side car park, back on to the platform and over the bridge - at the entrance to which there was a sign that said hopefully "No queueing on the bridge" - not sure how that was meant to work.

The very few people heading for the long distance connecting train were able to head in the same direction and discover the remaining exit(s?) to the up line platform of their own acccord. When the park and ride people had passed, the entire end of the station behind the buffer stops was taped off to send any one else up the ramp. (The cafe there appears to have been a victim of covid, which is a pity as it would now have far more passing trade perhaps with their landlord requiring a greatly increased rent)

All this needed the prescence of I think at least 2 staff to manage things.

The levels may well favour a step-free underpass, someone has probably considered one and then baulked at the cost of such structures in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

A notice states that for anyone unable to use the overbridge, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) will provide a complimentary taxi, presumably between up and down platforms.

So, St Erth is much busier - though possibly, the fare box has suffered a hit as a result, and also, two carriages on the branch in July doesn't match the numbers presenting.

After the ride on the branch, I do now know the words to the following nursery rhyme:

"Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream. If you see a crocodile, don't forget to scream.'

Mark

[REVUpminster]

It's surprising GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) cannot make up a four coach train although they have yesterday and today.
For the last week or so 4 166s have been operating Paignton Exmouth and only 6 150s to do the rest of the service. 9 150s do Gunnislake and the Cornwall branches leaving 5 spare.

As for tickets maybe the staff on the platform could issue tickets. They supplement Paignton's ticket windows with a ticket seller in the booking hall on Saturdays.

[RichardLong]

Finally it’s arrived!  ‘The St Ives Branch Line: A History’ is available to order NOW from Pen & Sword and will be available very soon from all good booksellers.
 
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-St-Ives-Branch-Line-A-History-Hardback/p/21452

[bobm]

Mine arrived earlier in the week.  Very high quality production and an excellent read.

[RichardLong]

Just in case anyone would like a signed copy of this book - there’s currently a very limited number of signed copies for sale in both The St Ives Bookseller, St Ives, and The Edge of the World Bookshop, Penzance.

[Timmer]

Cancellations to services between St Erth and St Ives

Due to a road vehicle blocking the railway between St Erth and St Ives all lines are closed.

Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Customer Advice
Apologies to customers hoping to travel between St Erth and St Ives today. Unfortunately, due to a car being driven onto the track and abandoned in a place that's causing great difficulties for recovery, all lines between St Erth and St Ives are closed for the entire day. We anticipate the vehicle will be able to be recovered and the lines reopened ready for start of service on Monday 23rd January.

In terms of alternative transport for customers, we have at present requested the following: a mini bus to run in both directions as a half hourly service departing St Erth at xx:20 & xx:50, and departing St Ives at xx:35 & xx:05. This has been requested to start with a 09:18 off St Erth and an 09:35 off St Ives then running as previously described until approximately 8pm this evening.

We've also requested local bus ticket acceptance on First Kernow Route 17 that operates an hourly Sunday service. Bus 17 departs at the following locations: St Erth (to St Ives) SW-Interchange at xx:16 past the hour, calling Lelant bus stop opposite the Village Hall, Carbis Bay from Longstone Cross (NW bound) and then St Ives bus station. The return buses depart St Ives at xx:57 from the same locations but the opposite side of the road. Once we have confirmation these contingencies are in place we will advise accordingly.

[Timmer]

Article on said car blocking the line at Carbis Bay
https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/driver-crashes-car-down-embankment-8059826

An abandoned car was found on the wrong transport terrain earlier this morning (January 22), as it was blocking the train tracks at Carbis Bay. The vehicle appeared to have left the road before crashing down the embankment and obstructing the tracks, with the driver nowhere to be found.

The police are currently undergoing enquiries to find the driver of the abandoned vehicle.

[bobm]

It is close to a 30 foot drop and is going to need a rail-mounted crane to rescue it.

[Bob_Blakey]

One can only hope that the driver or owner of the vehicle can be identified and then presented with an invoice covering the entire cost of recovery and the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) / GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) financial loss.

[a-driver]

It is close to a 30 foot drop and is going to need a rail-mounted crane to rescue it.

Surely a lot quicker to just cut it up on site and return to owner. Should teach them a lesson! 

[ellendune]

It is close to a 30 foot drop and is going to need a rail-mounted crane to rescue it.

Surely a lot quicker to just cut it up on site and return to owner. Should teach them a lesson! 

You presume that it was the owner who put it there! The car might have been stolen.

[a-driver]

It is close to a 30 foot drop and is going to need a rail-mounted crane to rescue it.

Surely a lot quicker to just cut it up on site and return to owner. Should teach them a lesson! 

You presume that it was the owner who put it there! The car might have been stolen.

Cut it up but don’t charge them a fee for doing so!

Leave them a roll of gaffer tape to put it back together.