Gunnislake railway station

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gunnislake
The entrance to the platform
Location
Place Gunnislake
Local authority Caradon, Cornwall
Operations
Station code GSL
Managed by First Great Western
Platforms in use 1
Live departures and station information from National Rail
Annual Rail Passenger Usage
2004/05 * 37,190
2005/06 * 43,885
National Rail - UK railway stations

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z  

* Annual passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Gunnislake from Office of Rail Regulation statistics.
Portal:Gunnislake railway station
UK Railways Portal

Gunnislake railway station serves the village of Gunnislake in Cornwall, England. There are also connecting buses from here to the town of Tavistock. However the station is located in or nearer to the villages of Drakewalls and Albaston. It is the northern terminus of the Tamar Valley Line from Plymouth.

Contents

[edit] History

A view of the station in 1972.
A view of the station in 1972.

The 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge East Cornwall Mineral Railway was opened from the quay at Calstock to Kelly Bray on 8 May 1872. It was replaced by the present Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway route across Calstock Viaduct on 2 March 1908 which saw passenger trains introduced.

Gunnislake became a terminus on 7 November 1966, the service to Callington railway station having closed the previous Saturday. The original station was on the far side of the road but it has now been resited on the Calstock side which has allowed the low (12 feet – 3.6m) bridge to be demolished.

[edit] Description

There is a single platform – on the left of trains arriving from Plymouth. The station car park and bus interchange is situated immediately behind the platform.

[edit] Services

Gunnislake is the terminus of Tamar Valley Line trains from Plymouth, which is typically a 45 minute journey. Connections with main line services can be made at Plymouth, although a small number of Tamar Valley services continue to or from Exeter St Davids.

  Preceding station     National Rail     Following station  
Calstock   First Great Western   Terminus

[edit] Community railway

Gunnislake station in 1970. The driver had just got out to pick primroses in the nearby field. A tranquil scene.
Gunnislake station in 1970. The driver had just got out to pick primroses in the nearby field. A tranquil scene.

The railway from Plymouth to Gunnislake is designated as a community railway and is supported by marketing provided by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership. The line is promoted under the "Tamar Valley Line" name.

Six pubs in Gunnislake take part in the Tamar Valley Line rail ale trail, which is designed to promote the use of the line. The line is also part of the Dartmoor Sunday Rover network, with buses to Tavistock and Kit Hill meeting trains at Gunnislake.

[edit] References

  • Cheesman, AJ (1967). The Plymouth, Devonport and South Wesetern Junction Railway. Blandford Forum: Oakwood Press. 
  • Clinker, CR (1963). The Railways of Cornwall 1809 - 1963. Dawlish: David and Charles. 
  • Crombleholme, Roger; Gibson, Bryan; Stickey, Douglas; Whetmath, CFD (1967). Callington Railways. Brackenll: Forge Books. DOI:1985. 
  • Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership (2006), Tamar Valley Line Rail Ale Trail

[edit] External links