From the
West Briton:
Man recareates Looe Station in the 1950s as model for 150th anniversary
Visitors to a Cornish resort are being offered a tiny glimpse into life at the end of a rural railway branch line back in its 1950s heydey.
A model showing Looe Station ^ complete with the smallest signalling box in the country ^ has gone on display.
It was created for the station's 150th anniversary celebration by man David Price, of Stafford, who enjoyed many happy holidays in the town.
The miniature recreation, planned by Mr Price for 12 years, was unveiled on Monday and now forms the centrepiece of a new exhibition at the Old Guildhall Museum.
Richard Burningham, manager of the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, said: "The impending celebrations had spurred him on to finish the model and "he has done a very nice job.
"He has used some artistic licence but all the major things are there ^ the old water tower and a signal box about the size of a toilet.
"I am really pleased that the museum is putting on this special display, which is an important part of the anniversary celebrations."
Mr Burningham said the line had seen the best passenger figures for ten years with 16,000 journeys in the peak summer period.
The 12 sqft 00-gauge model will be on display throughout September at Higher Market Street.
The museum is also displaying the original 1930s Great Western Rail poster advertising the station, plus photographs and documents relating to the Looe to Liskeard line.
Barbara Birchwood-Harper, the museum curator, said: "We have a lot of material on the railway and are really pleased to be putting it on display with this brand new model." The main anniversary celebrations begin this Saturday with a station fete, launched by Jimmy Dingle, the mayor of Looe, and Tony Powell, mayor of Liskeard.
Mr Powell and the Mayoress of Liskeard will be travelling to Looe on the 9.58 service, accompanied by Liskeard Silver Band, who will play on the train and at Looe station.
On the two following Sundays steam trains return to the line for the first time since 1961 when the Great Western Railway engine Panier Tank rolls into town.
The museum is open Mondays to Saturdays, 11am to 4pm, at a cost of ^1.80 for adults, 80p for children over five and ^4.50 for a family of four.
