Lostwithiel-Fowey

[whole diary]

[Andy]

Forgive the self-indulgence here but I was wondering if any of the many knowledgeable posters on this site have any recollection of a serious discussion regarding the reinstatement of passenger services on the Fowey branch. Although hardly a major revenue earner in its heyday, this branch is intact for all but the last half a mile and does see occasional excursions. Could a people-mover and a park & ride for the summer months break even? Fowey ain't St Ives but I always feel that this freight-only line isn't playing the role it could do in local transport.

 
 

[grahame]

.... Could a people-mover and a park & ride for the summer months break even? ....

One of the First Great Western regional managers explained to me once that even a pack 2 coach train running up and down a branch all day would not break even, although it's possible to do very well, thank you, on a 125 operation.    Reasons included things like:

Lower pence per mile fares on the branch
Fewer miles per hour on the branch
A longer proportion of time spend loading / unloading / turning around
Fewer passengers per crew member
More fuel needed per passenger on the shorter train
More stations served in a given time, so relatively more Network Rail station charges
Shorter distance traffic tend to be more peak-time biased

That's not a full answer to the question, but gives you a flavour of just how uneven the playing field would be for you.

[vacman]

The line doesn't actually go into Fowey it's self anymore, it stops short, also a lot of mods would need to be done at Carne point where the line runs through the unloading point for the CDA hoppers, would probably be a busy branch though if the station at Golant was also reopened.

[Andy]

Thanks for these answers grahame & vacman. It seems such a shame that at least a summer weekends service isn't tried out on this line, though it would of course have to be extended back to Fowey first. Anyone know of any charters/railtours planned over the branch this summer?
 

[Btline]

What about a commuter service for Pymouth starting at "Fowey Parkway" station?

[vacman]

What about a commuter service for Pymouth starting at "Fowey Parkway" station?

There's nowhere to build a parkway station as the line runs at the bottom of a steep valley with a cliff one side and a river the other!

[devon_metro]

I'm sure oooooo has a few photos, meanwhile - I found this: http://britishrailphotosbymichaelmcnicholas.fotopic.net/p48969319.html

And the famous golant 'shot' http://ronwestwater.fotopic.net/p40043327.html

Nice 

[smokey]

Now to upset just 1 or 2 but I've been in Carne Point China Clay transfer sidings at Fowey Docks and whilst China Clay is running to from Fowey Docks reinstating passenger trains to Fowey is a NON starter.

However it might be Possible and cost about the same to Reinstate a Passenger line from Fowey to St. Blazey.

However when the French company Imerys (Misery is an Anagram) Close All their Cornish China Clay Works down then Fowey can have a Passenger service back.
Not a good move by English China Clays (ECC) to sell out to Imerys who IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) also own and operate the cheap Brazilian china clay works.

When the China Clay does go, Would make real sense for a regular Plymouth-Lostwithiel-Fowey-St.blazey-Newquay service running over both restored lines into Fowey.

[Btline]

What about a commuter service for Pymouth starting at "Fowey Parkway" station?

There's nowhere to build a parkway station as the line runs at the bottom of a steep valley with a cliff one side and a river the other!

A big shame!

From the look of those photos, the line looks very picturesque and would draw leisure travellers!

[Lee]

And the famous golant 'shot' http://ronwestwater.fotopic.net/p40043327.html

Now if I was an FGW^▸ (First Great Western) PR^▸ (Public Relations) person, I'd kill to have a photo like that with a DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) featured in my publicity material.

[oooooo]

Not related to Fowey but on the south west freight branch side the last ever clay by rail left Marsh Mills today rendering the short branch from Tavistock junction disused. Also this week the last Bitumen wagons where tripped to Cattewater, this terminal also now without traffic.....

[Tinminer]

Not related to Fowey but on the south west freight branch side the last ever clay by rail left Marsh Mills today rendering the short branch from Tavistock junction disused. Also this week the last Bitumen wagons where tripped to Cattewater, this terminal also now without traffic.....

Very sad news for rail freight in the South West.

Are there not any new rail freight opportunities in Devon and Cornwall? I know about the freight concentration depot near Exeter Airport, but there must be other possibilities with the sheer volume of freight on our roads.

[devon_metro]

Taunton Fairwater yard had massivly expanded its freight movements, but in the far south west things are pretty stagnant and I can't see much of a future for the line to Meldon!

[oooooo]

Taunton Fairwater yard had massivly expanded its freight movements, but in the far south west things are pretty stagnant and I can't see much of a future for the line to Meldon!

Yes, but Fairwater Yard is only temporary, will be all done with in a couple years time...

[Andy]

I recently discovered that in the mid 90s for a brief period there was a Summer Sunday service on the route of a limited number of trains a day funded (and initiated) by local government. However, it came to grief following hikes in the charges levied.