This is my first attempt at writing anything like this,so bear with me,folks!!!
 This line holds a special interest for me,as my next project is a model of the Perranporth/Perranporth Beach Halt section of this old line.
 ORIGINS:
There are many reasons for building railways that are not always obvious.You might think that the local mines were the reason,or the growth of the area as a holiday resort,but in fact the main reason for the building of this line was strategic.The GWR were trying to keep the LSWR out of the area!
 They had already transgressed as far as Padstow and Wadebridge,and had their eye on a line to Newquay also.They were already operating a bus route from Newquay to Wadebridge!!
 The GWR already had one branch from Par to Newquay.The first GWR application to build a second branch to Newquay was turned down by parliament,but a second application,taking in a more circuitous route was approved,and work began in 1903.
 There was already a line in existance at the Newquay end;Treffrys old tramway;the track needed upgrading,but there was no need for any major civil engineering work there.The new line would eventually link up with this.
  The best way to proceed,I think is to take sections of the line one at a time and then there's no "information overload"
 It also gives others,who probably have more info,a chance to contribute.
In the meantime,here's some piccys to give you a flavour,with more to follow,along with maps and trackplans for anyone interested in modelling bits of it.
 Please note all pictures are 100 years old and therefore out of copyright.I have got some cracking pics from the 20's,30's and 50's that I can't publish on the forum,but if anyone interested in modelling any of the stations on the line wants a set of these"forbidden" images,I'll gladly e-mail them to you privately.
 Also,later on in the thread,I'll list all the publications I've drawn on for anyone wanting more info.
Cheers,John.B.





Perranporth Station(above)in pristine state,was the terminus of the line from July 1903 until January 1905.

Shepherds Station,another very attractive proposition to model,also had cattle/goods facilities,signal box,etc.

Super start John i look forward to the next instalment.

The station had a very large canopy on it and the platform seems very wide as well but perhaps that is because it is an island platform perhaps.


cheers Brian.W

Well it is Cornwall so I will always be interested!

I have always thought that they shut the wrong branch in the 1960s.  I know that there was more freight on the Par route, but how much more beneficial it would be today if you could still go from Truro to Newquay direct, even if most of the halts would probably have vanished.

There is an article in the latest Helston Railway Journal about direct trains from Camborne to Newquay as well, so there is something I did not know about the route.

That is the great thing about this hobby - there is always something to learn.

Looking forward to further installments.

John, excellent reading there, and some lovely photographs, look forward to further instalments with interest!

Cheers

Kev

Yes…the Blackwater Triangle,NOT the Bermuda one!!
  Firstly,let me apologise in advance for this section of the thread.I have got lots of lovely piccys of Chacewater Station from about 1924 up until 1984,but unfortunately can't use them due to coptright issues.However,for anyone interested who may want to consider modelling it,I am prepared to email them a set of pix.
 So,therefore this is just a very simple few facts on the station;it was an original station on the West Cornwall Railway in 1852.It closed in 1964,eighteen months after the closure of the branch.It then 're-opened' as a concrete distribution centre in the 1980s.
 All that remains now is the down platform and what was the second station building,the first one being destroyed by fire in 1947.I believe its now the headquarters of a double glazing firm.
 The town of Chacewater lies a couple of miles to the south of the station.Coming from Truro you cross a magnificent curving viaduct to the East of the station.
 The above pic shows No.5552 leaving the branch platform for Truro,over Blackwater Viaduct in the 1950s.Note that corridor stock was habitually used on this branch.Not just B-sets!!!

 The above picture by Peter Gray was taken in August 1959.No.4928 Gatacre Hall enters Chacewater with the 4.50 Penzance/Manchester train.Meanwhile 45xx No.5515 simmers on the branch loop with the 5.58 Newquay train.
 In the days of the branch,the up platform was an island platform,with a loop for branch trains to Newquay.There was a typical GWR footbridge,a signal box on the down platform,and a small goods yard.
 During the Second World War,white American soldiers were based in fields behind the station.Their black counterparts were based near St,Agnes.
Now,here's a very poor early track plan,from 1906,before the branch loop was built

And just to make up for the poor track plan,here's a nice old piccy of the station staff…I guess in either Victorian or Edwardian days???

 Now,upon leaving Chacewater on our steam-hauled journey to Newquay,we pass through the Blackwater Triangle(watch out for aliens!!!)
Here's a slightly better map than the last one!!!

The map dates from 1906,but the junction was created in 1903 for the branch.The main line runs across the bottom from Truro(east)to Penzance (west)to the left.The west loop of the triangle was hardly used,and was removed in 1919.All three signal boxes,however,stayed in use until 1924,when an independant third track from Chacewater came into use.
 So…..next instalment will be;Mount Hawke Halt,St.Agnes,Goonbell and Mithian…AND I promise some REALLY good pics this time(some golden oldies),and if after seeing St.Agnes,no-one wants to model it….well,I'll be amazed!
 Cheers for now,John.B.

John
Hopefully Bob can confirm this but i think you will find any photographs which pre date 1944 only have a 50 year copywright it is only photographs after this date that carry a 70 year copywright
There is an exact calender date its either !944 or 1945 sometime.

cheers Brian.W

John, these are brilliant photos and detailed information of a part of railway history I know next to nothing about.  I'd be very grateful for more photos (The larger the better!) via email - simply for my own library and interest.

By the way, fellow forum members, that photo of the Chacewater Station staff…. Back row, furthest on the right … that is Jeff, isn't it :!:

another thing to bear in mind,photos can be used if they are part of
a reseach project without breach of copywrite,just acknowledge
the authur at the time of posting.    8)

Brian,
  If thats the case,I can edit that last section,and stick one or two more pics in.I'll hang fire until I get the green liight,though.
  I've got a few from the 1950s and one from1920.
Cheers again,mate,John.B.

rector said

By the way, fellow forum members, that photo of the Chacewater Station staff…. Back row, furthest on the right … that is Jeff, isn't it :!:

Oh dear oh dear  :roll:  :roll: , i am waiting the back lash with a keen interest on this one  :)  :)
All though you could be right Tim and if you look a tad closer is that Perry on the front row in front of Jeff  :D  :D
Phill

Of all the places these macho guys could have had their picture taken, they choose slap bang in front of the Ladies Waiting Room. We never change guys do we?    

Les

Copyright is becoming an issue again with regard to these old pictures and I have provided a link below for you to see what the current situation is. We are only concerned with the written word and with photographs here and hopefully we are covered by the first statement in section 8.

"Fair dealing is a term used to describe acts which are permitted to a certain degree without infringing the work, these acts are:
Private and research study purposes."

We are a private 'club' in that the general public does not have access to any of the information on here and all the information is for educational and research purposes. Chris has researched and we are studying the results of that research. Definitely educational.

It's a minefield actually and the internet has to be treated differently because each country has it's own copyright laws and the owner of this site lives in Spain. The information is stored in the USA and the people who read the material are scattered all over the world.

All in all I think we are OK with this particular material. We can forget about 45, 50 or 70 years because these figures depend on the date of the death of the person who holds the copyright it appears.

Some more information which appears to be applicable to us and a catch all for what we want.

"The law: for instance, in the UK individuals may make 'Fair Dealing' copies for the purposes of research or private study for a non-commercial purpose within 'reasonable' limits. This was amended to include the 'non-commercial' declaration as part of the European Unions Directive on Copyright which came into force on 31st October 2003. Please access the 'News/Awareness - information and updates' page on this site for more information on this. What constitutes 'Fair Dealing' is not exactly defined in copyright law, but it seems to suggest allowing the copying of something as long as it doesn't harm/or infringe the copyright owner, and its use benefits the individual and society in general (within 'reasonable' limits).

Bob,
  Fair enough……..I'll get a pile of the best photos I can within those time frames scanned in and edited into the thread by this weekend.And just to further cover us,I'll credit the photos where applicable.Also,at the end of the thread,I'm going to print a 'reading list' of books/magazines referred to/borrowed from..so that should sweeten things with the authorities.
 Cheers,John.B. :)

More piccys have been added to part 2,and one or two more will mysteriously appear there over the next day or so!
Cheers,john.B.

The Blackwater triangle earthworks were still intact until the early 1990s when they built the A30 Blackwater bypass which ploughed right through them.

The layby on the eastbound carriageway sits at the foot of the remaining earthworks and we got to inspect these closely after the front tyre of our van blew out there on the way to Bodmin Exhibition two years ago!

Looking forward to further installments.

Chris,
      When we holiday in Cornwall,we stay at Blackwater,up at the top of the hill there Trevarth caravan site.Last time we were down(Aug 2007),I had a good old explore looking for evidence of the old triangle,and had a walk over to Chacewater.The first time we stayed in the area,we stayed in Perranporth itself at the site on Liskey Hill.We've been about half a dozen times….I love the place.I'm sure I was Cornish in a previous life!!!
Cheers,John.B.
P.S.
  They have a steam traction engine rally in nearby fields every 2 years,and I believe,(according to the Helston branch boys),that the line ran through the fields they use.This was the section between Mount Hawke Halt and St.Agnes.

John
the traction engine rally you mention must be a differant one as The West of England steam engine rally which is every year is held near chiverton roundabout the fields they use for that are to far north for the track between Mount hawke and blackwater.
I can see Liskey hill caravan park out my front window and i know the one you mean near Blackwater.
Some really great photos there John as Chris said where the triangle was is now part of the A30 where the lay by is.
There is a unused viaduct that stills exists between mithian and St Agnes
i will try and photograph it one day.

cheers Brian.W

If that is Goonbell viaduct I have a picture here somewhere of it being built.  I will have to dig about and see if I can find it because I have never seen a picture showing how they built them anywhere else.

Yes it is the Goonbell viaduct Chris its on the mithian side of Goonbell its all totally intact just sitting there do nothing. It looks strange looking at it from the road.

cheers Brian.W