Coombe Junction - passenger numbers and platform facilities - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

What does a dead dial tone sound like? 

[LiskeardRich]

What does a dead dial tone sound like? 

I will have to find out when i get round to walking down there!

[ChrisB]

Nothing, generally. No tone.

[RichardB]

Now there's a challenge for the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership to take up! 

I'm afraid we have our hands full with the branch lines!  Lostwithiel will be a winner when the two train a hour Cornish main line service comes in in (all being well) December 18.  Should get at least an hourly service then.

[Palfers]

Am I correct in saying that only two trains a day stop at combe in one direction only?

[JayMac]

Four. Two in each direction, Mon-Sat.

[grahame]

Four. Two in each direction, Mon-Sat.

Or all in the same direction but going different ways at the point. Nothing in the other direction up to Moorswater

[LiskeardRich]

Or nothing in recent days, liskeard looe has been pulled the last few days due to staff shortages.
I'm assuming rail replacements don't bother with coombe junction? I wouldn't want to take a bus down near there narrow enough by car.

[marky7890]

There is a bus service which runs hourly from Liskeard to Looe by Plymouth City Bus (taken over from Western Greyhound last year) Which goes to Liskeard station, St Keyne village, Duloe (up the hill from Causeland station),Sandplace station and Looe by the bridge.

[Pb_devon]

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Rail-passengers-love-UK-s-loneliest-station/story-29253227-detail/story.html

Can Richard B comment on this?  [See also this thread: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=16859.0]

Quote:
Rail passengers are planning to rally round the Westcountry's loneliest station.  Coombe Junction Halt, on the line from Liskeard to Looe is the second quietest in the UK with only two trains a day and 26 recorded passengers last year.
Now, villagers and rail enthusiasts are holding a 'crowdburst' to boost passenger numbers on Saturday, May 14, in a bid to raise the little station from the bottom of the league table.
Organiser Peter Murnaghan from Liskeard, said: "The station remains as a little piece of history on our railway network. It's sadly overlooked by most travellers and local people, so our event aims to breathe a bit of life into this sorry little station."
Supporters will meet at the Looe line platform at Liskeard station at 10am for the short 0.8 mile walk down hill to Coombe Junction Halt.
There they will catch one of only two daily services, at 10.52am, for the two-mile ride back up the circuitous link line to the starting point.
Mr Murnaghan said: "The cost of the train journey will be just ^2.30 - or ^1.50 if you have a railcard and it is a rare opportunity to have a ticket from Coombe Junction, a collector's item."
The event marks the 115th anniversary of the link line, which opened on May 15, 1901.
Coombe Junction Halt is the second loneliest station in the UK
It was designed by Cornish engineer, Joseph Thomas, and joined the Liskeard and Caradon railway, which opened in 1846. The line continued down to Looe when the Great Western main line opened in 1859. For the first time in more that forty years, rail passengers were able to transfer at Liskeard between the main line and the branch to Looe.
But few properties near the station now means it is rarely used with recent figures showing just 26 passengers in 2014/15.

[Brucey]

Mr Murnaghan said: "The cost of the train journey will be just ^2.30 - or ^1.50 if you have a railcard and it is a rare opportunity to have a ticket from Coombe Junction, a collector's item."

I'm not too sure they're a collectors item.  Tickets can be purchased online or from any staffed NR^» (Network Rail - home page) station.

I wonder how many passengers will actually be able to purchase a ticket on-board, considering the short journey time and the involvement of the guard in signalling on that line?

[LiskeardRich]

I believe it was me rather than Richard B the op refers to, I knew nothing of the event but had the intention to do the walk down at the weekend as first weekend I've been free since moving. I will certainly look to join the event.
Maybe a worthwhile effort to buy the ticket At liskeard ticket office before the walk down the hill to ensure tickets are held?

[Chris from Nailsea]

In view of the continued interest shown in this little-used, but apparently very popular, station down in Cornwall, I've now merged a couple of topics here - and added the 'crowd burst' event to the Coffee Shop forum calendar.

Best wishes for the day! 

[Pb_devon]

I believe it was me rather than Richard B the op refers to, I knew nothing of the event but had the intention to do the walk down at the weekend as first weekend I've been free since moving. I will certainly look to join the event.
Maybe a worthwhile effort to buy the ticket At liskeard ticket office before the walk down the hill to ensure tickets are held?

Actually Richard Burningham (Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership), as well as referencing your goodself with the link to your post.
I have an interest, as the Coombe - Liskeard loop runs mostly through a friend's farm.

[RichardB]

The organiser, Peter Murnaghan, has been in regular contact with me about the event on Saturday.  It's a great idea and, yes, if there is a good turnout, I've suggested (as Brucey suggested too) that people buy their tickets from Liskeard ticket office before walking down to Coombe.   GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have been tipped off too and Peter will see the traincrew on the train before the one he and the group will be coming back on.

Evidently the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) have been doing some filming - with luck, it should be on Friday's Spotlight.

It's made the Plymouth Herald too http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Rail-passengers-love-UK-s-loneliest-station/story-29253227-detail/story.html#ixzz48IKfYW10

Richard Burningham
Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership