Redruth railway station
Encyclopedia
Redruth Station serves the town of Redruth
, Cornwall
, United Kingdom
. The station is operated by First Great Western
as is every other station in Cornwall.
The Hayle Railway
opened a station on the west side of Redruth on 31 May 1838. The railway had been built to move goods to and from local mines and the harbours at Hayle
and Portreath
. A passenger service started on 26 May 1843; nearly 200 people travelled on the first train from Redruth to Hayle.
was authorised by an Act of Parliament
passed on 3 August 1846 to take over the Hayle Railway and extend its line westwards to Penzance
, and eastward to Truro
. It took possession of the Hayle line on 3 November 1846 and set about rebuilding it. A viaduct was built 61 feet (19 m) above the streets of Redruth and a new station was opened at the east end of this on 11 March 1852. On 25 August 1852 the line was continued through a short tunnel at the east end of Redruth station and on to a temporary station at Truro Highertown, and was completed to a station at Newham Wharf in 1855. The present day station at Truro was reached in 1859 but through trains over the Cornwall Railway
could not start until 1867 due to the two railways being built to different gauges. The main station buildings were replaced by the Great Western Railway
in the 1930s but the wooden shelter on the westbound platform survives and the footbridge is marked as being erected in 1888.
The original 489 feet (149 m) viaduct was built in timber to the designs of Isambard Kingdom Brunel
, but it was replaced in 1888 by a masonry structure. The line had until now been just a single track with a passing loop in the station, but the new viaduct was wide enough for two tracks once the gauge rail was no longer required following the abandonment of broad gauge
services in 1892. The second line was brought into use in February 1894; a second line was laid eastwards from the station in 1911.
The original Hayle Railway station became a goods depot when the new station opened, access to it being controlled by 'Redruth Junction' signal box
which also controlled access to the goods branch line to Tresavean mine. Goods sidings were also provided on both sides of the line at the new station, with a large goods shed
on the north side of the line. A new goods depot was opened at Drump Lane, east of the tunnel, in 1912.
and a footbridge to the westbound platform spans the tracks near the entrance. There is step-free access to this platform from an approach road on that side of the line.
Buses call at the main entrance to the eastbound platform. A car park is also on this side of the station between the main building and the viaduct on the site formerly occupied by the goods shed.
trains on the Cornish Main Line
between Penzance
and Plymouth
with one train per hour in each direction. Some trains run through to or from London Paddington station, including the Night Riviera
overnight sleeping car service and the mid-morning Cornish Riviera
. There are a limited number of CrossCountry
trains providing a service to Scotland
in the morning and returning in the evening.
Redruth
Redruth is a town and civil parish traditionally in the Penwith Hundred in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It has a population of 12,352. Redruth lies approximately at the junction of the A393 and A3047 roads, on the route of the old London to Land's End trunk road , and is approximately west of...
, 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
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The station is operated by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
as is every other station in Cornwall.
First station
Located at 50.23157°N 5.23255°WThe Hayle Railway
Hayle Railway
The Hayle Railway was an early Cornish railway, built to standard gauge, and opened in 1837. The railway served the engineering works and copper quays at Hayle with the copper mines of Redruth and Camborne carrying ore to the port and coal to the mines, before the construction of the Saltash Bridge...
opened a station on the west side of Redruth on 31 May 1838. The railway had been built to move goods to and from local mines and the harbours at Hayle
Hayle
Hayle is a small town, civil parish and cargo port in west Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated at the mouth of the Hayle River and is approximately seven miles northeast of Penzance...
and Portreath
Portreath
Portreath is a civil parish, village and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated approximately three miles northwest of Redruth....
. A passenger service started on 26 May 1843; nearly 200 people travelled on the first train from Redruth to Hayle.
Second station
The West Cornwall RailwayWest Cornwall Railway
The West Cornwall Railway was a railway company in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, formed in 1846 to operate the existing Hayle Railway between Hayle and Redruth and extend the railway to Penzance and Truro....
was authorised by an Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
passed on 3 August 1846 to take over the Hayle Railway and extend its line westwards to Penzance
Penzance railway station
Penzance railway station serves the town of Penzance, Cornwall, UK. The station is the western terminus of the Cornish Main Line from London Paddington station. The current journey time to or from London is about five hours....
, and eastward to Truro
Truro railway station
Truro Station serves the city of Truro, Cornwall, UK. It is the situated on the Cornish Main Line and is the junction for the Maritime Line to Falmouth. The station is operated by First Great Western....
. It took possession of the Hayle line on 3 November 1846 and set about rebuilding it. A viaduct was built 61 feet (19 m) above the streets of Redruth and a new station was opened at the east end of this on 11 March 1852. On 25 August 1852 the line was continued through a short tunnel at the east end of Redruth station and on to a temporary station at Truro Highertown, and was completed to a station at Newham Wharf in 1855. The present day station at Truro was reached in 1859 but through trains over the Cornwall Railway
Cornwall Railway
The Cornwall Railway was a broad gauge railway from Plymouth in Devon to Falmouth in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The section from Plymouth to Truro opened in 1859, the extension to Falmouth in 1863...
could not start until 1867 due to the two railways being built to different gauges. The main station buildings were replaced by the Great Western Railway
Great 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...
in the 1930s but the wooden shelter on the westbound platform survives and the footbridge is marked as being erected in 1888.
The original 489 feet (149 m) viaduct was built in timber to the designs of Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
, but it was replaced in 1888 by a masonry structure. The line had until now been just a single track with a passing loop in the station, but the new viaduct was wide enough for two tracks once the gauge rail was no longer required following the abandonment of broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
services in 1892. The second line was brought into use in February 1894; a second line was laid eastwards from the station in 1911.
The original Hayle Railway station became a goods depot when the new station opened, access to it being controlled by 'Redruth Junction' 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...
which also controlled access to the goods branch line to Tresavean mine. Goods sidings were also provided on both sides of the line at the new station, with a large goods shed
Goods shed
A goods shed is a railway building designed for storing goods before or after carriage in a train.A typical goods shed will have a track running through it to allow goods wagons to be unloaded under cover, although sometimes they were built alongside a track with possibly just a canopy over the door...
on the north side of the line. A new goods depot was opened at Drump Lane, east of the tunnel, in 1912.
Description
The station is on the side of a hill with the road climbing steeply from beneath the viaduct at the west end of the station, to climb over the tunnel at the east end. Where the road and railway are on the same level is the entrance to the station. The main offices are on the eastbound platformRailway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
and a footbridge to the westbound platform spans the tracks near the entrance. There is step-free access to this platform from an approach road on that side of the line.
Buses call at the main entrance to the eastbound platform. A car park is also on this side of the station between the main building and the viaduct on the site formerly occupied by the goods shed.
Services
Redruth is served by all First Great WesternFirst Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
trains on the Cornish Main Line
Cornish Main Line
The Cornish Main Line is a railway line in the United Kingdom, which forms the backbone for rail services in Cornwall, as well as providing a direct line to London.- History :...
between Penzance
Penzance railway station
Penzance railway station serves the town of Penzance, Cornwall, UK. The station is the western terminus of the Cornish Main Line from London Paddington station. The current journey time to or from London is about five hours....
and Plymouth
Plymouth railway station
Plymouth railway station serves the city of Plymouth, Devon, England. It is situated on the northern edge of the city centre close to the North Cross roundabout...
with one train per hour in each direction. Some trains run through to or from London Paddington station, including the Night Riviera
Night Riviera
The Night Riviera is a sleeper train service operated by First Great Western. It is one of only two remaining sleeper services on the railway in Great Britain...
overnight sleeping car service and the mid-morning Cornish Riviera
Cornish Riviera Express
The Cornish Riviera Express is a British express passenger train that has run between London and Penzance in Cornwall since 1904. Introduced by the Great Western Railway, the name Cornish Riviera Express has been applied to the late morning express train from London Paddington station to Penzance...
. There are a limited number of CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
trains providing a service to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in the morning and returning in the evening.
See also
- Redruth and Chasewater RailwayRedruth and Chasewater RailwayThe Redruth and Chasewater Railway, otherwise called the Redruth and Chacewater Railway using modern spelling, was a very early industrial railway line in Cornwall, England, UK that opened in 1825 and closed in 1915...