About time First Great Western upgraded lighting at Coombe Junction Halt?

[whole diary]

[Branch Line Connor]

Coombe Junction Halt, on the Looe Valley Line has no lighting. This makes the station very dangerous especially during the festive period. Because of this the winter timetable has seen trains at certain points in the evening not being able to call.

[inspector_blakey]

Hmm. Don't want to sound too cynical, but based on the 2007/2008 station usage statistic of 54 passenger journeys originating from or terminating at COE good luck making the business case for that one!

[Branch Line Connor]

I understand that however surely every station deserves lights? And people who have done some festive shopping to Liskeard, Looe and other places can't get back by train because of this.

[John R]

Even one that only has an average of one return journey every two weeks?

[Branch Line Connor]

I believe so. Every passenger matters!

[devon_metro]

Far cheaper to provide a taxi for that illustrious passengers, no doubt the passengers numbers are fudged anyway...

[Branch Line Connor]

Just think though if somebody special to you is leaving a train at Coombe during the dark hours, and the lights are not up. This person can't see, and slips over. Then nobody finds her until the next morning. I think you will want the lights up then!

[devon_metro]

Just think though if somebody special to you is leaving a train at Coombe during the dark hours, and the lights are not up. This person can't see, and slips over. Then nobody finds her until the next morning. I think you will want the lights up then!

You've answered your own question;

Because of this the winter timetable has seen trains at certain points in the evening not being able to call.

[Branch Line Connor]

Yes but why don't fgw put the lights up and then the trains can call at Coombe? Passanger usage is small however every station deserve's light and well trains.

[vacman]

Yes but why don't fgw put the lights up and then the trains can call at Coombe? Passanger usage is small however every station deserve's light and well trains.

Are you actually familliar with the local geography? Coombe is pointless, you can run from Coombe to Liskeard quicker than the train, it was just a platform that was built in steam days for loco's to run around their train to change direction, when I was based in Cornwall I never saw one passenger join or alight there as there is no population nearby at all!

[JayMac]

Coombe (Junction (Halt))  maybe an anachronism because of the topography of the line to Looe, but it still gets a better service than some places on the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) network I could mention.

[RichardB]

Yes but why don't fgw put the lights up and then the trains can call at Coombe? Passanger usage is small however every station deserve's light and well trains.

Are you actually familliar with the local geography? Coombe is pointless, you can run from Coombe to Liskeard quicker than the train, it was just a platform that was built in steam days for loco's to run around their train to change direction, when I was based in Cornwall I never saw one passenger join or alight there as there is no population nearby at all!

Indeed Vacman - like me, you have probably met people who used to travel by train from Looe to Liskeard Grammar School in the days of steam who, if they just missed the train at Liskeard, prided themseles on being able to run down the hill and still catch it at Coombe.  As the crow flies, Liskeard - Coombe is probably only 3/4 of a mile.

It really is one of the few stations anywhere which just isn't used.  Money spent on lighting would just be a waste.  It's a very unusual situation.

Richard Burningham
Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership

[inspector_blakey]

As a further point, does it even have an electricity supply? Having to run a mains supply to it or provide some sort of generator or battery arrangement would make the whole affair even more ridiculous.

Edit: as an afterthought, there are lots and lots of roads and footpaths all over Cornwall and the rest of the country that don't have blazing streetlights. Would you like these all to be lit as well on the ground that "every passenger matters"?

[The Tall Controller]

As a further point, does it even have an electricity supply? Having to run a mains supply to it or provide some sort of generator or battery arrangement would make the whole affair even more ridiculous.

Edit: as an afterthought, there are lots and lots of roads and footpaths all over Cornwall and the rest of the country that don't have blazing streetlights. Would you like these all to be lit as well on the ground that "every passenger matters"?

Theres an information noisy box so theres obviously electricity supplied. Have NR^» (Network Rail - home page) even bothered to repair the platform yet? Its a shame if they are leaving it because its a lovely area!

BTW^▸ (by the way), if anyone here can run up from Coombe to Liskeard faster than the train, I would pay for the lights myself! 

[Btline]

I don't understand how it is a halt if trains have to stop and reverse there.

Anyway, what is the point on wasting money on keeping the station open if* it serves no use? Just axe it and spend the money somewhere else! I'm sure 50 passengers a year can struggle 3/4 miles to their alternative.

*^{I don't know the area, so it may do. If so, ignore my comments.}