List of railway stations in Cornwall

The first of the passenger railway stations in Cornwall, United Kingdom, were opened in 1834. The network expanded considerably between the 1840s and 1900s. There were 81 stations in the duchy in 1960 but rationalisation of lines and stations has reduced this to just 36 National rail stations since 1989 including two opened in the 1970s. These are on the Cornish Main Line (between Penzance and Saltash where it continues across the Royal Albert Bridge into Devon) and the five remaining branch lines. There are also a small number of new or reopened stations on heritage railways.

The railways in Cornwall and west Devon.

The busiest station is Truro with more than one million passengers each year; the quietest is Coombe Junction Halt with fewer than 250.

Railway development in Cornwall

The CR station at Truro opened in 1859 (Photographed in 1892)

Early transport in Cornwall relied on coastal shipping so the first rail tracks were laid to connect the hinterland with harbours.[1] The first line to carry passengers was the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway (B&WR) on 4 July 1834.[2]

In the west the Hayle Railway connected that port with Redruth at the end of 1837 and started a passenger service on 23 May 1843. This line was not convenient to operate but was taken over by the West Cornwall Railway (WCR) and realigned in 1852, extending it west to Penzance and east to Truro. It moved its Truro terminus to join the new Cornwall Railway (CR) which opened from Plymouth on 4 May 1859. The CR completed its line from Truro to Falmouth on 24 August 1863. The WCR and CR were financially supported by the Great Western Railway (GWR). Other branch lines were opened, either by the GWR or independent companies which were later absorbed, to places such as Fowey and Newquay (1876) Looe (1879), St Ives and Helston (1887), and Bodmin (1888). The GWR network was completed in 1905 by a long line which connected Truro with Newquay via Perranporth.[2]

Meanwhile the B&WR had been bought by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) but remained isolated from its parent until their line through the north of Cornwall to Wadebridge opened in 1895. This was extended to Padstow in 1899. The LSWR also supported branches across the border from Devon to Bude (1898) and Callington (1908). The GWR also had a cross-border line to Launceston from 1865.[2] The LSWR became part of the Southern Railway in 1923 while the GWR continued with its same name, although absorbing the last of the still independent lines that it operated.[3]

The 1900s saw a number of small halts opened and, often, closed as the railways made an effort to keep local traffic away from trams and buses. The railways themselves operated bus routes, the first in the country being a GWR service from Helston railway station to The Lizard in 1903.[4]

During the 1960s many of the quieter stations and lines were closed, either as a result of Dr Beeching's Reshaping of British Railways or general commercial considerations. The whole of the LSWR network was closed (except for two stations on a truncated Callington line) as were many GWR branches, but this has allowed heritage and narrow gauge railways to open using parts of these old lines.

Stations on the national network

Estimated station usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at each station from Office of Rail and Road statistics. The methodology for calculating the number may vary between years.[5] Closure dates refer to passenger services, goods traffic may have continued to a later date.

	Station	Opened	Closed	Route	Usage 1999–2000	Usage 2018–19	Notes
	Angarrack	1852	1853	Cornish Main Line			[6]
	Bodmin General	1887	1967	Bodmin branch			Reopened as heritage station 1987[6]
	Bodmin North	1834	1967	Bodmin and Wadebridge			[7]
	Bodmin Parkway	1859	–	Cornish Main Line, Bodmin branch	144,723	234,030	Known as Bodmin Road until 1983. Also used by heritage services to Bodmin from 1990.[8]
	Boscarne Junction	1964	1966	Bodmin and Wadebridge, Bodmin branch			Reopened as heritage station on new site in 1996[9]
	Bude	1898	1966	Bude branch			[10]
	Bugle	1876	–	Atlantic Coast Line	1,262	5,616	[11]
	Burngullow	1863	1931	Cornish Main Line			Junction for goods line to Drinnick Mill[12]
	Callington	1908	1966	Callington branch			Known as Callington Road until 1909[13][14]
	Calstock	1908	–	Tamar Valley Line	24,133	37,834	[15]
	Camborne	1843	–	Cornish Main Line	112,063	266,006	[16]
	Camelford	1893	1966	North Cornwall			[17]
	Carbis Bay	1877	–	St Ives Bay Line	38,410	227,854	[18]
	Carn Brea	1843	1961	Cornish Main Line			Known as Pool until 1875 except for a short period in 1852-1854 when it was Carn Brea[13][19]
	Causeland	1879	–	Looe Valley Line	2,203	1,620	[20]
	Chacewater	1853	1964	Cornish Main Line, Perranporth branch			[21]
	Chilsworthy Halt	1909	1966	Callington branch			[22]
	Coombe Junction Halt	1901	–	Looe Valley Line	32	204	[23]
	Copperhouse	1843	1852	Hayle Railway			[24]
	Copperhouse Halt	1905	1908	Cornish Main Line			[24]
	Defiance Platform	1905	1930	Cornish Main Line			[24]
	Delabole	1893	1966	North Cornwall			[25]
	Dolcoath Halt	1905	1908	Cornish Main Line			[26]
	Doublebois	1860	1964	Cornish Main Line			[26]
	Dunmere Halt	1906	1967	Bodmin and Wadebridge			[27]
	Egloskerry	1892	1966	North Cornwall			[27]
	Falmouth Docks	1863	–	Maritime Line	27,050	96,726	Closed 1970, reopened 1975[28]
	Falmouth Town	1970	–	Maritime Line	74,026	213,934	Known as The Dell from 1975 until 1989[29]
	Fowey	1876	1965	Fowey branch			[30]
	Golant Halt	1896	1965	Fowey branch			[31]
	Goonbell Halt	1905	1963	Perranporth branch			[31]
	Goonhavern Halt	1905	1963	Perranporth branch			[32]
	Grampound Road	1859	1964	Cornish Main Line			[32]
	Grogley Halt	1906	1967	Bodmin and Wadebridge			[33]
	Gunnislake	1908	–	Tamar Valley Line	39,340	60,396	Relocated 1994[34]
	Gwinear Road	1853	1964	Cornish Main Line, Helston branch			[35]
	Hayle	1843	1852	Hayle Railway			[36]
	Hayle	1852	–	Cornish Main Line	38,816	83,446	[36]
	Helston	1887	1962	Helston branch			[37]
	Latchley	1908	1966	Callington branch			[38]
	Launceston North	1865	1952	Launceston branch			[39]
	Launceston South	1886	1966	North Cornwall			[40]
	Lelant	1877	–	St Ives Bay Line	4,823	10,632	[41]
	Lelant Saltings	1978	–	St Ives Bay Line	99,778	138,012	[42]
	Liskeard	1859	–	Cornish Main Line, Looe Valley Line	207,802	351,172	[42]
	Looe	1860	–	Looe Valley Line	68,466	117,506	Platform shortened 1968[43]
	Lostwithiel	1859	–	Cornish Main Line	33,767	66,624	[44]
	Luckett	1908	1966	Callington branch			Known as Stoke Climsand until 1909[13][45]
	Luxulyan	1876	–	Atlantic Coast Line	837	1,770	Known as Bridges until 1905[13][46]
	Marazion	1852	1964	Cornish Main Line			Known as Marazion Road until 1896[13][47]
	Menheniot	1859	–	Cornish Main Line	9,652	3,696	[48]
	Mitchell and Newlyn Halt	1905	1963	Perranporth branch			[49]
	Mithian Halt	1905	1963	Perranporth branch			[50]
	Moorswater	1879	1901	Looe Valley Line			[50]
	Mount Hawke Halt	1905	1963	Perranporth branch			[51]
	Nancegollan	1887	1962	Helston branch			[52]
	Nanstallon Halt	1906	1967	Bodmin and Wadebridge			[53]
	Newquay	1876	–	Atlantic Coast Line, Perranporth branch	63,968	103,172	[54]
	Otterham	1893	1966	North Cornwall			[55]
	Padstow	1899	1967	North Cornwall			[56]
	Par	1859	–	Cornish Main Line, Atlantic Coast Line	66,379	194,644	[57]
	Par Bridge Halt	1897	1908	Par to Fowey			[58]
	Penmere	1925	–	Maritime Line	57,208	191,414	[58]
	Penryn	1863	–	Maritime Line	40,875	240,156	[59]
	Penzance	1852	–	Cornish Main Line	406,236	570,098	Rebuilt 1890; new platforms 1937[60]
	Perranporth	1903	1963	Perranporth branch			[61]
	Perranporth Beach Halt	1931	1963	Perranporth branch			[62]
	Perranwell	1863	–	Maritime Line	8,279	31,920	Known as Perran until 1864[13][63]
	Port Isaac Road	1895	1966	North Cornwall			[64]
	Praze	1887	1962	Helston branch			[65]
	Probus and Ladock Halt	1908	1957	Cornish Main Line			[66]
	Quintrell Downs	1911	–	Atlantic Coast Line	1,019	2,684	[67]
	Redruth	1843	1852	Hayle Railway			[68]
	Redruth	1852	–	Cornish Main Line	183,799	327,532	[68]
	Respryn	1859	1859	Cornish Main Line			Temporary station until Bodmin Road was ready for use[69]
	Roche	1876	–	Atlantic Coast Line	545	5,090	Known as Holywell for a short while and then Victoria until 1904[13][69]
	St Agnes	1931	1963	Perranporth branch			[70]
	St Austell	1859	–	Cornish Main Line	238,316	460,130	Rebuilt 2000[71]
	St Blazey	1876	1925	Atlantic Coast Line			Known as Par until 1879 but renamed to avoid confusion with the station of that name on the main line[13][72]
	St Columb Road	1876	–	Atlantic Coast Line	1,474	1,936	Known as Halloon until 1878[13][73]
	St Erth	1852	–	Cornish Main Line, St Ives Bay Line	58,747	271,234	Known as St Ives Road until the branch line opened in 1877[13][74] Grade II listed[75]
	St Germans	1859	–	Cornish Main Line	25,970	56,698	[76]
	St Ives	1877	–	St Ives Bay Line	259,302	750,478	Relocated 1971[77]
	St Kew Highway	1895	1966	North Cornwall			[78]
	St Keyne Wishing Well Halt	1900	–	Looe Valley Line	923	1,334	[79]
	St Lawrence Platform	1895	1966	Bodmin and Wadebridge			[80]
	Saltash	1859	–	Cornish Main Line	28,889	83,574	Rebuilt 1880[80]
	Sandplace	1881	–	Looe Valley Line	1,575	1,274	[81]
	Scorrier	1852	1964	Cornish Main Line			Known as Scorrier Gate until 1896 except for the short period from 1856-1859 when it was Scorrier[13][82]
	Seven Stones Halt	1910	1914	Callington branch			[83]
	Shepherds	1905	1963	Perranporth branch			[83]
	Shooting Range Platform	1885	1947	Bodmin and Wadebridge			Opening and closing dates are uncertain[84]
	Tresmeer	1891	1966	North Cornwall			[84]
	Trewerry and Trerice Halt	1905	1963	Perranporth branch			[85]
	Truro	1859	–	Cornish Main Line, Maritime Line	578,008	1,186,886	Rebuilt 1900[86]
	Truro Newham	1855	1863	West Cornwall Railway			[87]
	Truro Road	1852	1855	West Cornwall Railway			Temporary station at Highertown[88]
	Truthall Halt	1905	1963	Helston branch			Known as Truthall Platform from 1906.[13][89] Reopened as heritage station in 2017.[90]
	Wadebridge	1834	1967	Bodmin and Wadebridge, North Cornwall			Rebuilt 1888[91] Grade II listed[92]

Heritage railway stations

	Station	Opened	Closed	Heritage opened	Route	Notes
	Benny Halt	–	–	1974	Lappa Valley Steam Railway
	Bodmin General	1887	1967	1987	Bodmin and Wenford Railway	[6]
	Bodmin Parkway	1859	–	1990	Bodmin and Wenford Railway	Known as Bodmin Road until 1983.[8]
	Boscarne Junction	1964	1966	1996	Bodmin and Wenford Railway	Original platform was on a different site adjacent to the Bodmin North branch line[9]
	Canna Park	–	–	tbc	Launceston Steam Railway	[41]
	Colesloggett Halt	–	–	1992	Bodmin and Wenford Railway	[23]
	Hunts Crossing	–	–	tbc	Launceston Steam Railway	[41]
	Launceston	–	–	1983	Launceston Steam Railway	Not on the site of previous Launceston station which closed in 1966[41]
	Newmills	–	–	1995	Launceston Steam Railway	[41]
	Trevarno	–	–	2011	Helston Railway
	Truthall Halt	1905	1963	2017	Helston Railway	[89][90]

Stations in use

References

1. Guthrie, A (1994). Cornwall in the Age of Steam. Padstow: Tabb House. pp. 115–116. ISBN 1-873951-16-7.
2. Clinker, C.R. (1963). The Railways of Cornwall 1809-1963. Dawlish: David & Charles. pp. 5–11.
3. Clinker 1963, p. 4
4. Cummings, John (1980). Railway Motor Buses and Bus Services 1902-1933 (Volume 2). Oxford: Oxford Publishing Company. pp. 23–24. ISBN 0860930505.
5. "Estimates of station usage". Office of Rail and Road.
6. Oakley, Mike (2009). Cornwall Railway Stations. Wimbourne Minster: Dovecote Press. p. 11. ISBN 978-1-904-34968-6.
7. Oakley 2009, p. 13
8. Oakley 2009, p. 15
9. Oakley 2009, p. 16
10. Oakley 2009, p. 17
11. Oakley 2009, p. 19
12. Oakley 2009, p. 21
13. Clinker 1963, p. 23
14. Oakley 2009, p. 22
15. Oakley 2009, p. 23
16. Oakley 2009, p. 25
17. Oakley 2009, p. 27
18. Oakley 2009, p. 28
19. Oakley 2009, p. 29
20. Oakley 2009, p. 30
21. Oakley 2009, p. 31
22. Oakley 2009, p. 32
23. Oakley 2009, p. 33
24. Oakley 2009, p. 34
25. Oakley 2009, p. 35
26. Oakley 2009, p. 37
27. Oakley 2009, p. 38
28. Oakley 2009, p. 40
29. Oakley 2009, p. 41
30. Oakley 2009, p. 42
31. Oakley 2009, p. 44
32. Oakley 2009, p. 45
33. Oakley 2009, p. 46
34. Oakley 2009, p. 47
35. Oakley 2009, p. 49
36. Oakley 2009, p. 51
37. Oakley 2009, p. 53
38. Oakley 2009, p. 55
39. Oakley 2009, p. 57
40. Oakley 2009, p. 59
41. Oakley 2009, p. 61
42. Oakley 2009, p. 60
43. Oakley 2009, p. 66
44. Oakley 2009, p. 69
45. Oakley 2009, p. 70
46. Oakley 2009, p. 71
47. Oakley 2009, p. 72
48. Oakley 2009, p. 74
49. Oakley 2009, p. 75
50. Oakley 2009, p. 76
51. Oakley 2009, p. 77
52. Oakley 2009, p. 78
53. Oakley 2009, p. 79
54. Oakley 2009, p. 80
55. Oakley 2009, p. 79
56. Oakley 2009, p. 85
57. Oakley 2009, p. 88
58. Oakley 2009, p. 90
59. Oakley 2009, p. 91
60. Oakley 2009, p. 92
61. Oakley 2009, p. 95
62. Oakley 2009, p. 97
63. Oakley 2009, p. 99
64. Oakley 2009, p. 97
65. Oakley 2009, p. 100
66. Oakley 2009, p. 101
67. Oakley 2009, p. 102
68. Oakley 2009, p. 103
69. Oakley 2009, p. 107
70. Oakley 2009, p. 107
71. Oakley 2009, p. 109
72. Oakley 2009, p. 111
73. Oakley 2009, p. 112
74. Oakley 2009, p. 113
75. Historic England. "St Erth Station (1143618)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
76. Oakley 2009, p. 115
77. Oakley 2009, p. 116
78. Oakley 2009, p. 119
79. Oakley 2009, p. 120
80. Oakley 2009, p. 121
81. Oakley 2009, p. 123
82. Oakley 2009, p. 124
83. Oakley 2009, p. 125
84. Oakley 2009, p. 127
85. Oakley 2009, p. 129
86. Oakley 2009, p. 130
87. Oakley 2009, p. 134
88. Oakley 2009, p. 133
89. Oakley 2009, p. 135
90. "Helston Branch". Cornwall Railway Society. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
91. Oakley 2009, p. 136
92. Historic England. "Wadebridge Station (1309531)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 7 June 2020.