Boscarne Junction railway station
Encyclopedia
Boscarne Junction railway station is a railway station on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway
in Cornwall
, United Kingdom, and is its current terminus of the railway although it has been projected that an extension to Wadebridge
will be constructed. It was also the original start point of the Camel Trail
, a long-distance footpath and cycle trail.
In earlier days it was the junction for lines to Bodmin
, Wenfordbridge
, and Padstow
.
built a line to connect from their Bodmin General railway station
to the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway
.
Originally there was a loop on either side of the line, each straddling the junction which was controlled by a signal box; a second and longer loop was added from the signal box
extending down the Wenfordbridge line well beyond the junction before 1911. The purpose of the GWR line was to take china clay from Wenford clay dries to the docks at Fowey
, the traffic having previously been taken by the Bodmin and Wenford Railway to Wadebridge
.
From 15 June 1964 to 18 April 1966 a small halt was built at the junction to enable a separate shuttle service to operate along the Bodmin North branch to connect with trains between Padstow and Bodmin Road see Boscarne Exchange Platform for details.
The line to Wadebridge was truncated at the road just beyond the signal box in 1981, and the line closed completely on 3 October 1983. Trains returned to Boscarne Junction in 1997 when the Bodmin and Wenford Railway
built a platform and began operating trains from Bodmin General.
Bodmin and Wenford Railway
The Bodmin & Wenford Railway is a heritage railway, based at Bodmin in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It has an interchange with the national rail network at Bodmin Parkway railway station, the southern terminus of the line.-History:...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, United Kingdom, and is its current terminus of the railway although it has been projected that an extension to Wadebridge
Wadebridge railway station
Wadebridge railway station was on the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway. It opened in 1834 to transport goods between the market town of Wadebridge, the limit of navigation on the River Camel, and inland farming and mining areas...
will be constructed. It was also the original start point of the Camel Trail
Camel Trail
The Camel Trail is a disused and resurfaced railway line in Cornwall, United Kingdom, that provides a recreational route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders...
, a long-distance footpath and cycle trail.
In earlier days it was the junction for lines to Bodmin
Bodmin
Bodmin is a civil parish and major town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated in the centre of the county southwest of Bodmin Moor.The extent of the civil parish corresponds fairly closely to that of the town so is mostly urban in character...
, Wenfordbridge
Wenfordbridge
Wenfordbridge, or Wenford Bridge, is a hamlet some north of Bodmin and on the western flank of Bodmin Moor, in the English county of Cornwall...
, and Padstow
Padstow
Padstow is a town, civil parish and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town is situated on the west bank of the River Camel estuary approximately five miles northwest of Wadebridge, ten miles northwest of Bodmin and ten miles northeast of Newquay...
.
History
Boscarne Junction was created in 1888 when the Great Western RailwayGreat Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
built a line to connect from their Bodmin General railway station
Bodmin General railway station
Bodmin General railway station, located in Bodmin, Cornwall, United Kingdom, was the terminus of the Great Western Railway's Bodmin branch line, and is now the principal railway station of the heritage Bodmin and Wenford Steam Railway.-History:...
to the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway
Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway
The Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway was a railway line opened in 1834 in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It linked the important town of Bodmin with the harbour at Wadebridge and also quarries at places such as Wenford...
.
Originally there was a loop on either side of the line, each straddling the junction which was controlled by a signal box; a second and longer loop was added from the signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
extending down the Wenfordbridge line well beyond the junction before 1911. The purpose of the GWR line was to take china clay from Wenford clay dries to the docks at Fowey
Fowey
Fowey is a small town, civil parish and cargo port at the mouth of the River Fowey in south Cornwall, United Kingdom. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,273.-Early history:...
, the traffic having previously been taken by the Bodmin and Wenford Railway to Wadebridge
Wadebridge railway station
Wadebridge railway station was on the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway. It opened in 1834 to transport goods between the market town of Wadebridge, the limit of navigation on the River Camel, and inland farming and mining areas...
.
From 15 June 1964 to 18 April 1966 a small halt was built at the junction to enable a separate shuttle service to operate along the Bodmin North branch to connect with trains between Padstow and Bodmin Road see Boscarne Exchange Platform for details.
The line to Wadebridge was truncated at the road just beyond the signal box in 1981, and the line closed completely on 3 October 1983. Trains returned to Boscarne Junction in 1997 when the Bodmin and Wenford Railway
Bodmin and Wenford Railway
The Bodmin & Wenford Railway is a heritage railway, based at Bodmin in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It has an interchange with the national rail network at Bodmin Parkway railway station, the southern terminus of the line.-History:...
built a platform and began operating trains from Bodmin General.