PLYMOUTH TO LOOE
For the first 17¾ miles of this scenic rail journey trains from Plymouth travel along the route of Brunel’s heavily engineered former broad-gauge Cornwall Railway, which opened in 1859 and still links Cornwall with the rest of Britain’s rail network via the magnificent Royal Albert Bridge over the River Tamar. After crossing the wrought-iron single-track bridge from which there are fine views of the Tamar Estuary and the distant Devonport Royal Naval Dockyard, the railway heads through Saltash and St Germans stations, crossing creeks and rivers on the first of many viaducts that span the narrow valleys along this route. Winding its way through low hills past Menheniot station, the railway then approaches the historic market town of Liskeard over the 720-ft-long Liskeard Viaduct from where the single-track branch line to Looe can be seen 150 ft below.
At Liskeard, trains for Looe depart from a separate platform set at a right angle to the main line before descending a steeply graded 180-degree loop, which was opened by the Great Western Railway in 1901, to remote Coombe Junction. Here the guard changes the points before the train reverses direction to head south down the picturesque wooded valley of the East Looe River along the route of the Liskeard & Looe Railway that opened alongside the Liskeard & Looe Union Canal in 1860 – both canal and railway were originally built to carry minerals from mines and quarries on Bodmin Moor down to Looe Harbour. Keeping company with the river and disused canal, the railway passes through request stops at St Keyne Wishing Well, Causeland and Sandplace before slowing for a riverside road crossing at Terras Crossing. The journey ends at the modern minimal station at Looe from where it is but a short walk to the harbour, fish market, beach and quaint narrow streets of East Looe.
DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS
beach; harbour; fish market; quaint streets (East Looe); boat hire on West Looe River; boat trips to Looe Island; shark fishing; Old Guildhall Museum; South West Coast Path
FREQUENCY OF TRAINS
1 per hour
26½ MILES
1 HOUR 10 MINUTES
NUMBER OF CHANGES: 1
(Liskeard)
The picturesque harbour at Looe is the jumping-off point for boat trips up the West Looe River and to St George’s Island.
PLYMOUTH TO PENZANCE
Diesel trains for the scenic, switchback line to Penzance follow the same route as the day trip to Looe as far as Liskeard. Trains leave Liskeard in a westerly direction to cross the valley of the East Looe River on the imposing Moorswater Viaduct (147 ft high and 954 ft long). To the north lie the former granite quarries on Bodmin Moor while to the south the single-track branch line wends its way down the valley to Looe. After climbing to Doublebois, trains begin their descent of the wooded Fowey Valley to call at Bodmin Parkway station, junction for the steam-operated Bodmin & Wenford Railway. The heavily engineered section from Doublebois to Bodmin Parkway features no less than 7 viaducts. Originally designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in the 1850s with timber spans supported on masonry piers, the timber spans were later replaced by masonry arches. From here, the line heads south, continuing down the valley to Lostwithiel, junction for the freight-only line to Carne Point, near Fowey.
From Lostwithiel, the railway climbs away from the valley to pass through Treverran Tunnel before descending to Par station, junction for the Newquay branch line. Leaving Par behind, the line heads along the Carlyon Bay coastline before climbing inland to St Austell, Cornwall’s largest town and centre of the china clay industry. Westwards from here, the railway follows a switchback route to Truro, crossing steep-sided river valleys on 8 viaducts and boring through the hills in two tunnels. West of Truro (junction for Falmouth), it climbs steadily up through the hills to Redruth before descending to call at Camborne, Hayle and St Erth (junction for St Ives). The line then cuts across the Cornish peninsula to follow the shore of Mount’s Bay past Long Rock depot to reach Penzance station.
DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS
Art Deco Jubilee Bathing Pool; Morrab Gardens; Golowan Festival (June); Newlyn Art Gallery; Penlee House Art Gallery & Museum; St Michael’s Mount (by bus to Marazion)
FREQUENCY OF TRAINS
1 per hour
79½ MILES
2 HOURS
NUMBER OF CHANGES: 0
Owned by the National Trust, St Michael’s Mount near Penzance can be reached via an ancient causeway at low tide.
PLYMOUTH TO EXETER
The rail journey from the maritime city of Plymouth to the cathedral city of Exeter is undoubtedly one of the most scenic in England. Trains leave Plymouth’s 1960s station along the route of the original South Devon Railway that opened to the city in 1848. The planned extension of the disastrous atmospheric railway from Totnes never materialized and Brunel’s eccentric but innovative system was replaced by a more conventional railway in the same year.
Today’s modern trains make light work of the steeply graded section around the southern edge of Dartmoor but in steam days most trains needed to be double-headed up the 1-in-42 Hemerdon Bank to Ivybridge station before reaching the summit of the line at Wrangaton. From here it is downhill all the way through Brent and Rattery Bank to the historic riverside town of Totnes. After a brief stop at Totnes, trains continue on their switchback route with the steep climb up to Dainton Tunnel and a similarly steep descent down to Newton Abbot. In steam days the town was an important railway centre with workshops and large engine sheds, while today the station is still the junction for the line to Paignton.
From Newton Abbot, the railway follows a fairly level route firstly alongside the Teign Estuary and then hugging the coastline, tunnelling through red sandstone cliffs between Teignmouth and Dawlish. This coastal route is often at the mercy of winter storms, which cause havoc with train services. The penultimate leg of this scenic route follows the west bank of the Exe Estuary from Dawlish Warren and through Starcross to end at Exeter’s busy St Davids station where trains to London can still be seen departing in opposite directions. Here a change of train is necessary to complete the short journey up to Exeter Central station from where the delights of this historic city can be explored on foot.
DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS
12th-century cathedral; 11th-century Rougemont Castle; Danes Castle; St Nicholas Priory and Garden; Exeter Canal basin and riverside walks; 17th-century Butts Ferry; Royal Albert Memorial Museum; Spacex art gallery
FREQUENCY OF TRAINS
2 per hour (Mon-Sat)
52 MILES 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES
NUMBER OF CHANGES: 1