Atlantic Coast Line, Cornwall

The Atlantic Coast Line is a 20 ³⁄₄ miles (33 km) community railway line in Cornwall, England. The line runs from the English Channel at Par, to the Atlantic Ocean at Newquay.^[1]

Route

The Atlantic Coast Line starts from Par station, in the village and port of Par. The station is located on the Cornish Main Line, and trains to Newquay must first traverse a near 180 degree curved chord line before joining the route of the former Cornwall Minerals Railway (CMR) near the former St Blazey station. The route of the CMR is followed for the rest of the journey.^[2]

From St Blazey, the CMR route utilised the route of the even earlier Par Canal, originally built to serve the nearby Fowey Consols mine, as far as its terminus at Pontsmill, where the Luxulyan Valley is entered. The thickly wooded terrain and steep granite slopes of this valley surround the fast-flowing River Par, contain a large concentration of early 19th century industrial remains, and have been designated a World Heritage Site.^[3]

Shortly before reaching Luxulyan station, the line passes under the Treffry Viaduct, a historic dual-purpose railway viaduct and aqueduct that was built in 1844. This both supplied water to the Fowey Consoles mine, and also carried the main line of the Treffry Tramways, a precursor to the CMR.^[3]

After Luxulyan, the line passes close to several former and current china clay works, before passing through Bugle and Roche stations.^[2]

Between Roche and St Columb Road stations, the line passes through Goss Moor nature reserve. The bridge over the A30 road has been the site of many road accidents. In the past it has been proposed to divert the line, so that it starts from St Austell railway station and continues via the old Newquay and Cornwall Junction Railway freight-only line, joining the current route at St Dennis. This proposal has now been dropped as a suitable new route for the road has been found that will avoid the bridge and nature reserve.^[4][5]

Once past Roche, the line passes through Quintrell Downs station before eventually reaching Newquay station, serving the Atlantic coast resort of Newquay.^[6]

Passenger volume

The busiest station on the line is Newquay, where more than 10 times the number of passengers arrive and depart each year than the other stations added together.^[7]

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

Community rail

The Atlantic Coast 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.

The Atlantic Coast Line rail ale trail was launched in 2005 to encourage rail travellers to visit pubs near the line. There were originally 16 pubs but one has since closed. There are three in Newquay, two at St Columb Road, six in and around Par, and one each at Quintrell Downs, Roche, Bugle and Luxulyan. 5, 10 or 15 stamps collected in the Rail Ale Trail leaflet entitle the participant to claim special Atlantic Coast Line Rail Trail souvenir merchandise.

The local passenger service over the line was designated by the Department for Transport as a community rail service in September 2006. This aims to increase the number of passengers and reduce costs and includes the investigation of how to get a better spread of train times during the day, and how to increase.train services in the peak summer season. The designation allows for improvements to the long-distance summer trains and the freight traffic.^[8]

Focal, a local "friends of the line" group helped to achieve a 75% increase in Par to Newquay passenger services through negotiation and cooperation with the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership and Great Western Railway.^[9]

Operation

The line is single from St Blazey to Newquay. A passing loop is situated just south of Bugle, originally built for the china clay freight trains going to Goonbarrow freight yard. These days it is also used for the summer trains to pass each other, so one train can enter the line before the other is out. The loop uses semaphore signals.^[10]

Passenger services

Atlantic Coast Line
Legend
mi Newquay Harbour 20¾ Newquay Trenance Viaduct 19¾ Tolcarn Junction branch to Perranporth Trencreek Crossing 18¼ Quintrell Downs Coswarth Tunnel 14¼ St Columb Road Toldish Tunnel branch to Burngullow 12½ St Dennis Junction 8¾ Roche Carbis Wharf branch Wheal Rose branch 6¼ Bugle Molinnis Crossing Carbean branch 5¾ Goonbarrow Junction Rocks Siding (private siding) 4¼ Luxulyan 3¾ Treffry Viaduct Rockmill Viaduct Carmears Incline Pontsmill Viaduct Rockmill branch Pontsmill Siding St Blazey Bridge Crossing Middleway Bridge Crossing ½ St Blazey St Blazey engine shed 0⅕ Par Cornish Main Line Penzance • Plymouth

A through service from London Paddington stands at Newquay

Local passenger services are operated by Great Western Railway.^[11] On summer weekends all the local services are withdrawn and replaced by a mixture of Great Western Railway trains from London Paddington and CrossCountry trains from the North of England. Most CrossCountry trains do not call at Par. Great Western Railway generally add an additional (ninth) coach to their HST sets which was used exclusively for luggage. Crowd-control measures, comprising additional barriers, staff and ticket checks, are often in effect on summer Saturdays.

In 2007, First Great Western (now known as Great Western Railway) began running a through service from London Paddington on Mondays to Fridays in July and August in addition to the two or three running on summer Saturdays and one return working on Sundays. Many of these workings are named The Atlantic Coast Express. Some of the Saturday direct services are true express services calling only at Par, Plymouth (set down only), Exeter St David's (set down only) and London Paddington.

Freight services

The eastern section of the line - as far as Goonbarrow Junction - sees a large amount of china clay freight traffic operated by DB Schenker. This company operates a depot to service locomotives, which is situated at St Blazey, north of Par.^[12]

A freight spur connects the line at St Blazey with Par Harbour, passing under the main line from Par to St Austell on route. Although originally built as part of the Cornwall Minerals Railway to convey mineral traffic into the harbour, today it is principally used to convey dried china clay from the clay dries at the harbour.^[2][13]

Accidents

On 25 May 1991 the first train of the day from Newquay to London Paddington derailed in the Luxulyan Valley. The train consisted of a High Speed Train unit. The passengers were transferred to the rear power car which was then uncoupled and run slowly back to Luxulyan railway station where the passengers were transferred to road vehicles to continue their journey.^[14][15]

On 30 December 2006 heavy rainfall caused a landslide on an embankment near St Blazey, blocking the line. A replacement bus service was run to cover for the passenger service, until the line reopened on 8 January 2007.^[16]

On 12 June 2007 a train collided with a car crossing a level crossing at Chapel near Newquay. The crossing was of the type known as Automatic Open Level Crossing, where warning lights and a hooter give warning of the approach of trains, but no barrier is provided. The siren and warning lights were found to be working. The car driver was injured, but no-one on the train was hurt.^[17]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Atlantic Coast Line, Cornwall.

• Great Scenic Railways in Devon and Cornwall.
• The Focal group - working for improved passenger services on the Atlantic Coast Line

Railway lines in the South West Primary Cross Country Route Exeter Bristol Cheltenham Great Western Main Line Exeter Bristol Keynsham Bath Spa Chippenham Swindon (fast services calling points only) Secondary To London South Western Main Line (from Weymouth) Reading to Taunton Line (from Taunton) West of England Main Line (from Exeter) Others Atlantic Coast Line Avocet Line Bristol to Taunton Line Cornish Main Line Cotswold Line Gloucester to Newport Line Golden Valley Line Heart of Wessex Line Henbury Loop Looe Valley Line Lostwithiel to Fowey Maritime Line Portishead Branch Riviera Line Severn Beach Line St Ives Bay Line Tamar Valley Line Tarka Line Wessex Main Line Heritage Avon Valley Railway Bristol Harbour Railway Bodmin and Wenford Railway East Somerset Railway Dartmoor Railway Dartmouth Steam Railway Dean Forest Railway Helston Railway Plym Valley Railway South Devon Railway Swanage Railway Swindon & Cricklade Railway West Somerset Railway