St Ives Bay Line: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
VisualWikitext
imported>Coolguy22468
made up
 
imported>Mackensen
identifier and link for first edition of MacDermot
 
Line 4: Line 4:
{{Infobox rail line
{{Infobox rail line
| name                            = St Ives Bay Line
| name                            = St Ives Bay Line
| image                          = St Ives - FGW 150108 above Porthminster Beach.jpg
| image                          = Porthminster Point - GWR 150246+150261 St Erth train.JPG
| image_width                    = 280px
| image_width                    =  
| native_name                    =  
| native_name                    =  
| native_name_lang                =  
| native_name_lang                =  
Line 23: Line 23:
| old_gauge                      = {{track gauge|7ft}} until 20 May 1892
| old_gauge                      = {{track gauge|7ft}} until 20 May 1892
| speed                          = {{convert|30|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}
| speed                          = {{convert|30|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}
| map                            = [[File:St Ives Bay Line.png|280px]]<br />([[:commons:File:St Ives Bay Line.png|Click to expand]])
| map                            = [[File:St Ives Bay Line.png|280px]])
| map_state                      = uncollapsed
| map_state                      = uncollapsed
}}
}}
Line 31: Line 31:
==History==
==History==
[[File:St Ives station view c1890.jpg|thumb|left|St Ives circa 1890]]
[[File:St Ives station view c1890.jpg|thumb|left|St Ives circa 1890]]
The St Ives Junction Railway applied for an [[act of Parliament]] in 1845, but as the [[West Cornwall Railway]] failed in its application for an act in that session of Parliament, the St Ives company withdrew its proposal.<ref name=GWJ>{{cite journal | last = Jenkins | first = Stanley C | title = the St Ives Branch | journal = Great Western Railway Journal | issue = Cornish Special Issue | pages = 2–34 | publisher = Wild Swan Publications Ltd| year = 1992}}</ref> The [[Great Western, Bristol & Exeter, and South Devon Railway Companies Act 1873]] was passed by Parliament to authorise a St Ives branch line as an extension of the West Cornwall Railway, although by that time this was controlled by the [[Great Western Railway]]. It was opened on 1 June 1877, the last new {{track gauge|7ft}} [[broad gauge]] passenger railway route to be built in Britain. A [[dual gauge|third rail]] was added to the southern section of the line in October 1888 to allow {{track gauge|uksg}} [[standard gauge]] goods trains to reach the wharf at {{stnlnk|Lelant}}. The last broad-gauge train ran on Friday 20 May 1892; since the following Monday all trains have been standard gauge.<ref>{{cite book| last = MacDermot| first = E T| title = History of the Great Western Railway |edition= 1|volume= 2 (1863–1921)| publisher = [[Great Western Railway]]| year = 1931| location = London| isbn = 0-7110-0411-0}}</ref>
The St Ives Junction Railway applied for an [[act of Parliament]] in 1845, but as the [[West Cornwall Railway]] failed in its application for an act in that session of Parliament, the St Ives company withdrew its proposal.<ref name=GWJ>{{cite journal | last = Jenkins | first = Stanley C | title = the St Ives Branch | journal = Great Western Railway Journal | issue = Cornish Special Issue | pages = 2–34 | publisher = Wild Swan Publications Ltd| year = 1992}}</ref> The [[Great Western, Bristol & Exeter, and South Devon Railway Companies Act 1873]] was passed by Parliament to authorise a St Ives branch line as an extension of the West Cornwall Railway, although by that time this was controlled by the [[Great Western Railway]]. It was opened on 1 June 1877, the last new {{track gauge|7ft}} [[broad gauge]] passenger railway route to be built in Britain. A [[dual gauge|third rail]] was added to the southern section of the line in October 1888 to allow {{track gauge|uksg}} [[standard gauge]] goods trains to reach the wharf at {{stnlnk|Lelant}}. The last broad-gauge train ran on Friday 20 May 1892; since the following Monday all trains have been standard gauge.<ref>{{cite book| last = MacDermot| first = E. T.| title = History of the Great Western Railway |edition= 1st|volume=II| publisher = [[Great Western Railway]]| year = 1931| location = London| oclc=4106652 |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofgreatwe0000etma}}</ref>


Although there was heavy traffic in fish in the early years, this declined during the first half of the twentieth century.<ref name=Bennett>{{cite book| last = Bennett| first = Alan| title = The Great Western Railway in West Cornwall| publisher = Runpast Publishing| orig-year = 1988| edition = 2 | location = Cheltenham| year = 1990| isbn = 1-870754-12-3}}</ref>  Goods traffic was withdrawn from the intermediate stations at Lelant and {{stnlnk|Carbis Bay}} in May 1956 but continued at St Ives until September 1963.<ref name=GWJ/>
Although there was heavy traffic in fish in the early years, this declined during the first half of the twentieth century.<ref name=Bennett>{{cite book| last = Bennett| first = Alan| title = The Great Western Railway in West Cornwall| publisher = Runpast Publishing| orig-year = 1988| edition = 2 | location = Cheltenham| year = 1990| isbn = 1-870754-12-3}}</ref>  Goods traffic was withdrawn from the intermediate stations at Lelant and {{stnlnk|Carbis Bay}} in May 1956 but continued at St Ives until September 1963.<ref name=GWJ/>


All the sidings were taken out of use at St Ives by 1966, when trains on the branch were operated by [[diesel multiple unit]]s. The line was proposed for closure in the [[Beeching Axe|Reshaping of British railways]] report which prompted it to be one of the lines featured in [[Flanders and Swann]]’s ''[[Slow Train (Flanders and Swann song)|Slow Train]]'',<ref>{{cite web | title =Flanders & Swann Online | work =Slow Train | url =http://www.nyanko.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/fas/anotherhat_slow.html | access-date =2009-05-14 | url-status =dead | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20130413054716/http://www.nyanko.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/fas/anotherhat_slow.html | archive-date =13 April 2013 | df =dmy-all }}</ref> but Minister of Transport [[Barbara Castle]] reprieved it. On 23 May 1971, the [[Railway platform|platform]] at St Ives was moved to make way for a car park<ref>{{cite book| last = Cooke| first = R A| title = Track Layout Diagrams of the GWR and BR WR: Section 10, West Cornwall| publisher = R A Cooke| year = 1977| location = Harwell}}</ref> but seven years later, on 27 May 1978, a new station was opened at {{stnlnk|Lelant Saltings}} between St Erth and Lelant.  This was given a large car park so that it could operate as a [[Park and Ride]] facility for St Ives.<ref name=GWJ/> In June 2019, the Park and Ride facility was moved to [[St Erth railway station|St Erth]] and services at Lelant Saltings were reduced.
All the sidings were taken out of use at St Ives by 1966, when trains on the branch were operated by [[diesel multiple unit]]s. The line was proposed for closure in the [[Beeching Axe|Reshaping of British railways]] report which prompted it to be one of the lines featured in [[Flanders and Swann]]’s ''[[Slow Train (Flanders and Swann song)|Slow Train]]'',<ref>{{cite web | title =Flanders & Swann Online | work =Slow Train | url =http://www.nyanko.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/fas/anotherhat_slow.html | access-date =2009-05-14 | url-status =dead | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20130413054716/http://www.nyanko.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/fas/anotherhat_slow.html | archive-date =13 April 2013 | df =dmy-all }}</ref> but Minister of Transport [[Barbara Castle]] reprieved it. On 23 May 1971, the [[Railway platform|platform]] at St Ives was moved to make way for a car park<ref>{{cite book| last = Cooke| first = R A| title = Track Layout Diagrams of the GWR and BR WR: Section 10, West Cornwall| publisher = R A Cooke| year = 1977| location = Harwell}}</ref> but seven years later, on 27 May 1978, a new station was opened at {{stnlnk|Lelant Saltings}} between St Erth and Lelant.  This was given a large car park so that it could operate as a [[Park and Ride]] facility for St Ives.<ref name=GWJ/> In June 2019, the Park and Ride facility was moved to [[St Erth railway station|St Erth]] and services at Lelant Saltings were reduced.


==Route==
==Route==
[[File:Carbis Bay Viaduct 2009.jpg|thumb|left|Carbis Bay Viaduct]]
{{St Ives Bay Line}}
{{St Ives Bay Line}}
:''The communities served by the route are: [[St Erth]] &ndash; [[Lelant]] &ndash; [[Carbis Bay]] &ndash; [[St Ives, Cornwall|St Ives]]''
The route serves [[St Erth]], [[Lelant]], [[Carbis Bay]], and [[St Ives, Cornwall|St Ives]]. The [[branch line]] is single track for its whole length with no [[Passing loop|passing places]].<ref name=RTD>{{cite book| last = Jacobs| first = Gerald| title = Railway Track Diagrams Book 3: Western| publisher = Trackmaps| year = 2005| location = Bradford-on-Avon| isbn = 0-9549866-1-X}}</ref>  It runs alongside the [[River Hayle|Hayle estuary]] and then the sea coast and is promoted as a good place to see birds from the train. It has also been listed as one of the most picturesque railways in England.
 
[[File:Carbis Bay Viaduct 2009.jpg|thumb|left|Carbis Bay Viaduct]]
The [[branch line]] is single track for its whole length with no [[Passing loop|passing places]].<ref name=RTD>{{cite book| last = Jacobs| first = Gerald| title = Railway Track Diagrams Book 3: Western| publisher = Trackmaps| year = 2005| location = Bradford-on-Avon| isbn = 0-9549866-1-X}}</ref>  It runs alongside the [[River Hayle|Hayle estuary]] and then the sea coast and is promoted as a good place to see birds from the train. It has also been listed as one of the most picturesque railways in England.


The line diverges from the [[Cornish Main Line]] at {{stnlnk|St Erth}}.  After the line goes through a short cutting and underneath two road bridges which carry the [[A30 road|A30]] [[roundabout]] outside the station, the line follows the western side of the estuary past {{stnlnk|Lelant Saltings}}. Beyond [[Lelant railway station]] the line enters a cutting and climbs onto the [[sand dune]]s above Porth Kidney Sands on [[St Ives Bay]],<ref name=OS102>Ordnance Survey (1996), ''Land’s End'', Explorer map (1:25,000 scale) 102, [[Ordnance Survey]], Southampton</ref> with the [[St. Uny's Church, Lelant|church of St Uny]] and Lelant golf course on the left; the church's cemetery was disturbed when the railway cut through the hill.<ref name=Bray>{{cite book |last=Bray |first=Lena |author2=Bray, Donald  |title=St Ives Heritage |edition=Second |orig-year=1981 |year=1992 |publisher=Landfall Publications |location=Devoran |isbn=1-873443-06-4}}</ref>  The [[South West Coast Path]] crosses the line here and then follows close by all the way to St Ives. The railway continues to climb up and onto the steep cliffs at Hawkes Point, about {{convert|30|m|ft}} above sea level. Soon after the line comes around the headland at Carrick Gladden and into {{stnlnk|Carbis Bay}}.<ref name=OS102/>  Perched on the hillside above the beach, this resort only developed after the railway arrived in 1877.<ref name=Bray/> The line now crosses {{convert|78|yd|m}} long Carbis [[Viaduct]] then continues on the cliff's edge until it emerges at Porthminster Point, from where it drops down across the {{convert|106|yd|m}} St Ives Viaduct to reach [[St Ives railway station]] which is situated above Portminster Beach.<ref name=OS102/>
The line diverges from the [[Cornish Main Line]] at {{stnlnk|St Erth}}.  After the line goes through a short cutting and underneath two road bridges which carry the [[A30 road|A30]] [[roundabout]] outside the station, the line follows the western side of the estuary past {{stnlnk|Lelant Saltings}}. Beyond [[Lelant railway station]] the line enters a cutting and climbs onto the [[sand dune]]s above Porth Kidney Sands on [[St Ives Bay]],<ref name=OS102>Ordnance Survey (1996), ''Land’s End'', Explorer map (1:25,000 scale) 102, [[Ordnance Survey]], Southampton</ref> with the [[St. Uny's Church, Lelant|church of St Uny]] and Lelant golf course on the left; the church's cemetery was disturbed when the railway cut through the hill.<ref name=Bray>{{cite book |last=Bray |first=Lena |author2=Bray, Donald  |title=St Ives Heritage |edition=Second |orig-year=1981 |year=1992 |publisher=Landfall Publications |location=Devoran |isbn=1-873443-06-4}}</ref>  The [[South West Coast Path]] crosses the line here and then follows close by all the way to St Ives. The railway continues to climb up and onto the steep cliffs at Hawkes Point, about {{convert|30|m|ft}} above sea level. Soon after the line comes around the headland at Carrick Gladden and into {{stnlnk|Carbis Bay}}.<ref name=OS102/>  Perched on the hillside above the beach, this resort only developed after the railway arrived in 1877.<ref name=Bray/> The line now crosses {{convert|78|yd|m}} long Carbis [[Viaduct]] then continues on the cliff's edge until it emerges at Porthminster Point, from where it drops down across the {{convert|106|yd|m}} St Ives Viaduct to reach [[St Ives railway station]] which is situated above Portminster Beach.<ref name=OS102/>


==Services==
==Services==
[[File:St Ives Branch sign @ St Erth.jpg|150px|thumb|A sign at St Erth station informing passengers about the short turnaround times for the St Ives shuttle services]]
The line initially saw just five trains a day, but by 1909 this had grown to nine and in 1965 it was 17 with up to 24 on summer Saturdays.  Some trains included through carriages from [[London Paddington station]] and in the 1950s the [[Cornish Riviera Express]] ran from St Ives through to Paddington on summer Saturdays.<ref name=GWJ/> The number of services continued to increase following the opening of Lelant Saltings and the summer of 2006 saw 26 daily services operated by [[Wessex Trains]]. [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)]] took over the operation later in the year and the winter timetable was reduced to 16 trains which caused some concern<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/4788456.stm BBC news report 9 March 2006]</ref> but the summer of 2007 saw a return to the previous service level.<ref>{{cite web |title = National Rail Timetable 144 (Summer 2007)|publisher= Network Rail|url = http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May07/timetables/Table144.pdf}}</ref>
The line initially saw just five trains a day, but by 1909 this had grown to nine and in 1965 it was 17 with up to 24 on summer Saturdays.  Some trains included through carriages from [[London Paddington station]] and in the 1950s the [[Cornish Riviera Express]] ran from St Ives through to Paddington on summer Saturdays.<ref name=GWJ/> The number of services continued to increase following the opening of Lelant Saltings and the summer of 2006 saw 26 daily services operated by [[Wessex Trains]]. [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)]] took over the operation later in the year and the winter timetable was reduced to 16 trains which caused some concern<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/4788456.stm BBC news report 9 March 2006]</ref> but the summer of 2007 saw a return to the previous service level.<ref>{{cite web |title = National Rail Timetable 144 (Summer 2007)|publisher= Network Rail|url = http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May07/timetables/Table144.pdf}}</ref>
 
As of August 2016, trains run at approximately 30-minute intervals in each direction for most of the day, including Sundays.<ref name="W9">[https://www.gwr.com/plan-journey/train-times Train times and train timetables - Great Western Railway] (Timetable W9, pdf)</ref>


In the summer months when traffic levels are high, most services are now operated by 2 x two-car [[British Rail Class 150|Class 150]] sets, but in the winter a two-car [[British Rail Class 150|Class 150]] set is used. On particularly busy days additional sets are added; St Ives can handle six carriages but the bay platform at St Erth is long enough for just five.<ref name=RTD/>  Two or three trains are extended to and from {{stnlnk|Penzance}} on most days to facilitate crew changes and to get the stock to and from [[Penzance TMD|Penzance Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD)]].<ref>{{cite web |title = National Rail Timetable 144 (Summer 2009)|publisher= Network Rail|url = http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May09/timetables/Table144.pdf|access-date=2009-05-11}}</ref>
[[File:Carbis Bay - GWR 150243+150232 St Erth service.JPG|thumb|left|Great Western Railway service with two {{brc|150}}s at {{stnlnk|Carbis Bay}}]]
As of August 2016, trains run at approximately 30-minute intervals in each direction for most of the day, including Sundays.<ref name="W9">[https://www.gwr.com/plan-journey/train-times Train times and train timetables - Great Western Railway] (Timetable W9, pdf)</ref>In the summer months when traffic levels are high, most services are now operated by 2 x two-car [[British Rail Class 150|Class 150]] sets, but in the winter a two-car [[British Rail Class 150|Class 150]] set is used. On particularly busy days additional sets are added; St Ives can handle six carriages but the bay platform at St Erth is long enough for just five.<ref name="RTD" />  Two or three trains are extended to and from {{stnlnk|Penzance}} on most days to facilitate crew changes and to get the stock to and from [[Penzance TMD|Penzance Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD)]].<ref>{{cite web |title = National Rail Timetable 144 (Summer 2009)|publisher= Network Rail|url = http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May09/timetables/Table144.pdf|access-date=2009-05-11}}</ref>


As of May 2019, there continues to be trains running every 30 minutes. All these services call at [[Carbis Bay railway station|Carbis Bay]] with trains serving [[Lelant railway station|Lelant]] mostly every two hours with some hourly gaps between services. [[Lelant Saltings railway station|Lelant Saltings]] is now served by just one train per day in each direction due to the relocation of the Park and Ride facility to St Erth.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gwr.com/~/media/gwr/pdfs/timetables/2019/may/k5.pdf?la=en|title=St Erth - St Ives|publisher=Great Western Railway|format=[[PDF]]}}</ref>
As of May 2019, there continues to be trains running every 30 minutes. All these services call at [[Carbis Bay railway station|Carbis Bay]] with trains serving [[Lelant railway station|Lelant]] mostly every two hours with some hourly gaps between services. [[Lelant Saltings railway station|Lelant Saltings]] is now served by just one train per day in each direction due to the relocation of the Park and Ride facility to St Erth.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gwr.com/~/media/gwr/pdfs/timetables/2019/may/k5.pdf?la=en|title=St Erth - St Ives|publisher=Great Western Railway|format=[[PDF]]}}</ref>


Since the line has no passing loops and before May 2019, the average journey time along the full length of the line was just under 15 minutes, services on the line used to suffer from very short turnaround times (about 1 minute) at both St Erth and St Ives stations.<ref name="W9" /> As of May 2019, the journey time has decreased due to the majority of trains no longer stopping at Lelant Saltings. As a result, the turnaround time has been increased to roughly 4 minutes.
Since the line has no passing loops and before May 2019, the average journey time along the full length of the line was just under 15 minutes, services on the line used to suffer from very short turnaround times (about 1 minute) at both St Erth and St Ives stations.<ref name="W9" /> As of May 2019, the journey time has decreased due to the majority of trains no longer stopping at Lelant Saltings. As a result, the turnaround time has been increased to roughly 4 minutes.
{{Clear}}


==Signalling==
==Signalling==
Line 62: Line 60:


==Community rail==
==Community rail==
[[File:153329 St Ives Bay Line.jpg|thumb|The special livery once carried by DMU 153329]]
The St Ives Bay Line is one of the railway lines supported by the [[Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership]], an organisation formed in 1991 to promote railway services in the area. The line is promoted by many means such as regular timetable and scenic line guides, as well as leaflets highlighting leisure opportunities such as walking, birdwatching, and visiting country [[pub]]s.
The St Ives Bay Line is one of the railway lines supported by the [[Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership]], an organisation formed in 1991 to promote railway services in the area. The line is promoted by many means such as regular timetable and scenic line guides, as well as leaflets highlighting leisure opportunities such as walking, birdwatching, and visiting country [[pub]]s.


[[File:153329 St Ives Bay Line.jpg|thumb|left|The special livery once carried by DMU 153329]]
A St Ives Bay Line [[rail ale trail]] was launched in 2005 to encourage rail travellers to use the railway and visit 14 participating pubs near the line.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}
A St Ives Bay Line [[rail ale trail]] was launched in 2005 to encourage rail travellers to use the railway and visit 14 participating pubs near the line.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}


Line 72: Line 70:


==Passenger volume==
==Passenger volume==
[[File:lelant Saltings 60 passengers 150233.jpg|thumb|right|Despite figures showing just 251 passengers in the previous year, [[British Rail Class 150|150233]] finds more than 60 people waiting at Lelant Saltings in 2009.]]
From 2001 to 2011 journeys on the St Ives Bay Line increased by 68%.<ref>{{cite web|title =Station Usage|work =Rail Statistics|publisher =Office of Rail Regulation| url=http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1529|access-date = 2012-04-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502025424/https://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1529|archive-date=2 May 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
From 2001 to 2011 journeys on the St Ives Bay Line increased by 68%.<ref>{{cite web|title =Station Usage|work =Rail Statistics|publisher =Office of Rail Regulation| url=http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1529|access-date = 2012-04-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502025424/https://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1529|archive-date=2 May 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>


Line 81: Line 78:
{{UKsta-u A|stn=St Ives|u1=213,397|u2=220,300|u3=171,281|u4=117,131|u5=139,455|u6=173,722|u7=154,502|u8=258,530|u9=578,214|u10=585,308|u11=595,326|u12=638,754|u13=657,750|u14=659,066|u15=752,654|u16=750,478|u17=706,826|u18=293,880|u19=733,970|u20=720,062}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=St Ives|u1=213,397|u2=220,300|u3=171,281|u4=117,131|u5=139,455|u6=173,722|u7=154,502|u8=258,530|u9=578,214|u10=585,308|u11=595,326|u12=638,754|u13=657,750|u14=659,066|u15=752,654|u16=750,478|u17=706,826|u18=293,880|u19=733,970|u20=720,062}}
}}
}}
{{small|The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.}}{{Clear}}
==References==
==References==
{{Commons category|St Ives Bay Line}}
{{Commons category|St Ives Bay Line}}

Latest revision as of 12:40, 8 December 2025

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

The St Ives Bay Line is a Script error: No such module "convert". railway line from St Erth to St Ives in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It was opened in 1877, the last new Script error: No such module "Track gauge".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". broad gauge passenger railway to be constructed in the country. Converted to standard gauge in 1892, it continues to operate as a community railway, carrying tourists as well as local passengers. It has five stations including the junction with the Cornish Main Line at St Erth.

History

File:St Ives station view c1890.jpg
St Ives circa 1890

The St Ives Junction Railway applied for an act of Parliament in 1845, but as the West Cornwall Railway failed in its application for an act in that session of Parliament, the St Ives company withdrew its proposal.[1] The Great Western, Bristol & Exeter, and South Devon Railway Companies Act 1873 was passed by Parliament to authorise a St Ives branch line as an extension of the West Cornwall Railway, although by that time this was controlled by the Great Western Railway. It was opened on 1 June 1877, the last new Script error: No such module "Track gauge".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". broad gauge passenger railway route to be built in Britain. A third rail was added to the southern section of the line in October 1888 to allow Script error: No such module "Track gauge".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". standard gauge goods trains to reach the wharf at Lelant. The last broad-gauge train ran on Friday 20 May 1892; since the following Monday all trains have been standard gauge.[2]

Although there was heavy traffic in fish in the early years, this declined during the first half of the twentieth century.[3] Goods traffic was withdrawn from the intermediate stations at Lelant and Carbis Bay in May 1956 but continued at St Ives until September 1963.[1]

All the sidings were taken out of use at St Ives by 1966, when trains on the branch were operated by diesel multiple units. The line was proposed for closure in the Reshaping of British railways report which prompted it to be one of the lines featured in Flanders and Swann’s Slow Train,[4] but Minister of Transport Barbara Castle reprieved it. On 23 May 1971, the platform at St Ives was moved to make way for a car park[5] but seven years later, on 27 May 1978, a new station was opened at Lelant Saltings between St Erth and Lelant. This was given a large car park so that it could operate as a Park and Ride facility for St Ives.[1] In June 2019, the Park and Ride facility was moved to St Erth and services at Lelant Saltings were reduced.

Route

File:Carbis Bay Viaduct 2009.jpg
Carbis Bay Viaduct

Template:Routemap The route serves St Erth, Lelant, Carbis Bay, and St Ives. The branch line is single track for its whole length with no passing places.[6] It runs alongside the Hayle estuary and then the sea coast and is promoted as a good place to see birds from the train. It has also been listed as one of the most picturesque railways in England.

The line diverges from the Cornish Main Line at St Erth. After the line goes through a short cutting and underneath two road bridges which carry the A30 roundabout outside the station, the line follows the western side of the estuary past Lelant Saltings. Beyond Lelant railway station the line enters a cutting and climbs onto the sand dunes above Porth Kidney Sands on St Ives Bay,[7] with the church of St Uny and Lelant golf course on the left; the church's cemetery was disturbed when the railway cut through the hill.[8] The South West Coast Path crosses the line here and then follows close by all the way to St Ives. The railway continues to climb up and onto the steep cliffs at Hawkes Point, about Script error: No such module "convert". above sea level. Soon after the line comes around the headland at Carrick Gladden and into Carbis Bay.[7] Perched on the hillside above the beach, this resort only developed after the railway arrived in 1877.[8] The line now crosses Script error: No such module "convert". long Carbis Viaduct then continues on the cliff's edge until it emerges at Porthminster Point, from where it drops down across the Script error: No such module "convert". St Ives Viaduct to reach St Ives railway station which is situated above Portminster Beach.[7]

Services

The line initially saw just five trains a day, but by 1909 this had grown to nine and in 1965 it was 17 with up to 24 on summer Saturdays. Some trains included through carriages from London Paddington station and in the 1950s the Cornish Riviera Express ran from St Ives through to Paddington on summer Saturdays.[1] The number of services continued to increase following the opening of Lelant Saltings and the summer of 2006 saw 26 daily services operated by Wessex Trains. Great Western Railway (train operating company) took over the operation later in the year and the winter timetable was reduced to 16 trains which caused some concern[9] but the summer of 2007 saw a return to the previous service level.[10]

File:Carbis Bay - GWR 150243+150232 St Erth service.JPG
Great Western Railway service with two Template:Brcs at Carbis Bay

As of August 2016, trains run at approximately 30-minute intervals in each direction for most of the day, including Sundays.[11]In the summer months when traffic levels are high, most services are now operated by 2 x two-car Class 150 sets, but in the winter a two-car Class 150 set is used. On particularly busy days additional sets are added; St Ives can handle six carriages but the bay platform at St Erth is long enough for just five.[6] Two or three trains are extended to and from Penzance on most days to facilitate crew changes and to get the stock to and from Penzance Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD).[12]

As of May 2019, there continues to be trains running every 30 minutes. All these services call at Carbis Bay with trains serving Lelant mostly every two hours with some hourly gaps between services. Lelant Saltings is now served by just one train per day in each direction due to the relocation of the Park and Ride facility to St Erth.[13]

Since the line has no passing loops and before May 2019, the average journey time along the full length of the line was just under 15 minutes, services on the line used to suffer from very short turnaround times (about 1 minute) at both St Erth and St Ives stations.[11] As of May 2019, the journey time has decreased due to the majority of trains no longer stopping at Lelant Saltings. As a result, the turnaround time has been increased to roughly 4 minutes.

Signalling

The line is controlled from the signal box at St Erth; only one train is allowed to operate on the line at any time. Trains travelling towards St Ives are described as 'down trains' and those towards St Erth as 'up trains'. There are three public crossings on the line. 'Western Growers Crossing' is a crossing at St Erth which the signaller can see from the signal box. 'Towan Crossing' is a user-worked crossing north of Lelant, and there is a foot crossing at Hawke's Point as the line approaches Carbis Bay.[6]

Community rail

File:153329 St Ives Bay Line.jpg
The special livery once carried by DMU 153329

The St Ives Bay Line is one of the railway lines supported by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, an organisation formed in 1991 to promote railway services in the area. The line is promoted by many means such as regular timetable and scenic line guides, as well as leaflets highlighting leisure opportunities such as walking, birdwatching, and visiting country pubs.

A St Ives Bay Line rail ale trail was launched in 2005 to encourage rail travellers to use the railway and visit 14 participating pubs near the line.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

During the period that Wessex Trains operated the service (2001-05), one of their Class 153 trains carried the name St Ives Bay Line and a blue livery with large coloured pictures promoting the line.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

The branch was designated as a community railway line in July 2005, being one of seven pilots for the Department for Transport's Community Rail Development Strategy. This aims to increase the number of passengers and reduce costs to make lightly used railways more economically sustainable. Among its aims are a higher-frequency of service, to introduce local tickets and ticket vending machines, and public art on the stations promoting the line as the artistic gateway to St Ives.[14]

Passenger volume

From 2001 to 2011 journeys on the St Ives Bay Line increased by 68%.[15]

Template:UKsta-u

References

Template:Sister project

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

  1. ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ a b c Ordnance Survey (1996), Land’s End, Explorer map (1:25,000 scale) 102, Ordnance Survey, Southampton
  8. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ BBC news report 9 March 2006
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ a b Train times and train timetables - Great Western Railway (Timetable W9, pdf)
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Department for Transport, Rail Group (2005), Route prospectus for the … St Ives Bay Line
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Further reading

  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

External links

Template:GeoGroupTemplate

Script error: No such module "Navbox".

Script error: No such module "Coordinates".

Retrieved from "http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?title=St_Ives_Bay_Line&oldid=6164532"