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36-565: The Looe Valley Line is an 8 + 3 ⁄ 4 -mile (14 km) community railway from Liskeard to Looe in Cornwall , England, that follows the valley of the East Looe River for much of its course. It is operated by Great Western Railway . The Looe Valley Line was opened as the Liskeard and Looe Railway on 27 December 1860 from a station at Moorswater , a little west of Liskeard , to

72-605: A 147 feet (45m) high viaduct. The Liskeard and Looe Railway was taken over by the Great Western Railway in 1909 and the attractive seaside resort of Looe became heavily promoted as a holiday destination in the railway's publicity. The section beyond Looe station to the quay was closed in 1916 and the Caradon line north of Moorswater fell out of use at around the same time. In 1966 the line was due to be closed under Richard Beeching 's Reshaping of Britain's Railways plan, but

108-428: A day run on the line Monday to Saturday and 8 on Sundays from April until October. Coombe Junction Halt railway station is served by only two trains each way Mondays to Saturdays. For most of the day, every second train in each direction runs without any intermediate station calls. On the other, stopping, trains, the other intermediate stations are all request stops – this means that passengers alighting must tell

144-450: A double track with signal boxes four minutes apart can allow up to 15 trains per hour in each direction safely, provided all the trains travel at the same speed. This hindrance on the capacity of a single track may be partly overcome by making the track one-way on alternate days. Long freight trains are a problem if the passing stretches are not long enough. Other disadvantages include the propagation of delays, since one delayed train on

180-472: A pilot project in 2005 under their Community Rail Development Strategy, with the intention of having seven differing lines (Abbey Line, Esk Valley Line, Looe Valley Line, Penistone Line, Poacher Line, St Ives Bay Line, and Tamar Valley Line) test out different types of community rail schemes. The aims of these schemes are to: Designation does not physically separate a line from the rest of the network or remove it from either Network Rail or franchise operation. It

216-559: A single track will also delay any train waiting for it to pass. Also, a single track does not have a "reserve" track that can allow a reduced capacity service to continue if one track is closed. If a single-track line is designed to be used by more than one train at a time, it must have passing loops (also called passing sidings or crossing loops ) at intervals along the line to allow trains running in different directions to pass each other. These consist of short stretches of double track, usually long enough to hold one train. The capacity of

252-606: A single-track line is determined by the number of passing loops. Passing loops may also be used to allow trains heading in the same direction at different speeds to overtake. In some circumstances on some isolated branch lines with a simple shuttle service (such as the Abbey Line in Great Britain or L202 railway in Croatia) a single-track line may work under the "one train working" principle without passing loops, where only one train

288-541: A single-track railway to double track is called duplication or doubling; converting double track to single track is known as singling. A double-track railway operating only a single track is known as single-line working . Kirkby railway station (until 1977) and Ormskirk railway station (until 1970) were double-track railway , when they were converted into single-track railway with cross-platform interchange . Building bike trails on rail corridors has occurred in limited examples; however, developing rail rights of way for

324-437: A small hut at Looe. Liskeard Branch Signal Box was replaced by a ground frame on 15 March 1964 and the signal box at Looe closed on the same date. Coombe Junction Signal Box continued to operate until 8 May 1981. Liskeard Signal Box now supervises the entire line, as well as controls the connection to the mainline. As of December 2023, the line has three ground frames which are operated by the train crews: The Looe Valley line

360-531: Is single track for the whole of its length and is worked by just a single train set each day. Trains leave Liskeard railway station from a platform at right angles to the main line platforms, initially running northeast away from Looe. Beyond the platform the line takes a long right-hand curve, passing the connection through the goods yard to the main line, and diving underneath the A38 road twice. It then descends steeply, now heading generally southwest, and passes under

396-421: Is allowed on the line at a time. On single-track lines with passing loops, measures must be taken to ensure that only one train in one direction can use a stretch of single track at a time, as head-on collisions are a particular risk. Some form of signalling system is required. In traditional British practice (and countries using British practice), single-track lines were operated using a token system where

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432-589: Is divided into three sections, each worked by a different method: The level crossings at Lodge Farm (between Coombe Junction and St Keyne) and at Terras (between Sandplace and Looe) are both 'open' crossings with warning signals for road users. Trains have to slow on the approach to Lodge Farm but stop before proceeding over Terras crossing. Download coordinates as: 50°24′16″N 4°27′58″W  /  50.4044°N 4.4662°W  / 50.4044; -4.4662 Community rail Community rail in Britain

468-706: Is not generally intended to be used as a mechanism to reopen lines or create "microfranchises", although these options may be investigated on some routes. In addition each line has a remit agreed in a route prospectus which gives more detailed aims and objectives for each scheme, such as infrastructure improvements, new ticketing arrangements, or cooperation with other local transport operators. The DfT has identified about fifty routes in England and Wales that would benefit from designation, covering 10% of Network Rail and some 390 stations. Some routes will only be designated as community rail services (rather than community rail lines) as

504-473: Is the support of railway lines and stations by local organisations, usually through community rail partnerships (CRPs) comprising railway operators, local councils, and other community organisations, and rail user groups (RUGs). Community railways are managed to fit local circumstances recognising the need to increase revenue, reduce costs, increase community involvement and support social and economic development. The Community Rail Network (CRN), formerly known as

540-737: The Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP), supports its fifty or so member CRPs and also offers assistance to voluntary station friends groups that support their local stations through the station adoption scheme. Since 2005 the Department for Transport has formally designated a number of railway lines as community rail schemes in order to recognise the need for different, more appropriate standards than are applied to main line railway routes, and therefore make them more cost effective. The Association of Community Rail Partnerships has reciprocal membership with: The Department for Transport announced

576-483: The Department for Transport 's Community Rail Development Strategy. This aims to establish the true costs and revenues for the line with an aim of improving them. It is also looking at simplifying the reversal of trains, considering the costs and benefits should the line be "microfranchised" separately from the Great Western Franchise, and the potential for opening a Park and Ride station at Moorswater where

612-523: The Liskeard viaduct carrying the Cornish Main Line 150 feet (46m) above. Curving right once more, the train joins the main branch line from Looe at Coombe Junction, and comes to a stand on a small level crossing . Most trains change direction here, the train's guard operating the points using the ground frame (see Signalling below) , but a few in each direction continue a few yards further to call at Coombe Junction Halt at Lamellion . Beyond

648-466: The original end of the line is in fact opposite the current platform, just 20 yards from the present southern end of the line. The service operated by Great Western Railway since 10 December 2006 consisted of nine trains each way daily. During the peak summer period from 20 May to 9 September 2007 three additional services were operated, including a late evening train. In May 2019 Great Western Railway introduced an improved timetable which saw 15 trains

684-478: The early days of railways in North America it was common to rely upon simple timetable operation where operators knew where a train was scheduled to be at a particular time, and so would not enter a single-track stretch when they were not scheduled to. This generally worked but was inflexible and inefficient. It was improved with the invention of the telegraph and the ability to issue train orders . Converting

720-420: The east side of the river, which is now a tidal estuary that the line follows to its terminus. The line passes over one more level crossing, the unusual Terras Crossing, where the road approaches the crossing over a causeway that is liable to flooding at high tide, so the footpath is raised on boards alongside. As the crossing is ungated trains must come to a stand and sound their horn before crossing. The ruin of

756-539: The final lock of the canal is on the east of the line here. After running further alongside the tidal estuary the line finally arrives at Looe railway station , opposite the point at which the West Looe River flows into the East Looe River to form the tidal Looe harbour. The town centre is a five-minute walk further alongside the river and buses to Polperro stop on the road near the station. All distances along

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792-672: The goods sidings are close to the A38 Liskeard Bypass . In 2007 the signs on the Looe Valley platform at Liskeard were replaced with brown and cream signs in the style used by the Western Region of British Railways in the 1950s and 1960s. Looe Valley Heritage Project In 2019 the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership launched a heritage project about the line which told the story of its history through archive information and engaging with

828-480: The guard that they wish to do so, and those waiting to join must signal clearly to the driver as the train approaches. The trains are formed of two-car Class 150s . 150233 was once named Lady Margret of Looe Valley (the original Lady Margret was a steam locomotive belonging to the Liskeard and Looe Railway). Single-car Class 153 153369 was named The Looe Valley Explorer . Both these trains carried large pictures on

864-518: The infrastructure may be used by other operators in a way that precludes designation. Not all of the CRPs mentioned above have been designated. Those that have so far are: Single track (rail) Single track is significantly cheaper to build and maintain, but has operational and safety disadvantages. For example, a single-track line that takes 15 minutes to travel through would have capacity for only two trains per hour in each direction safely. By contrast,

900-459: The line are measured from the point near the seven-span road bridge across the river where the Liskeard and Looe Railway connected with the private sidings on Buller Quay. The original station, now the site of the Police Station, was 14 chains (308 yards or 282m) north of this point, but the simple station of 1968 construction is forty yards north of this: thus the mile post marking ¼ mile from

936-544: The local community. The project won Best Community Engagement Project at the National Community Rail Awards in 2019. The majority of Looe Valley passengers travel the whole length of the line with Causeland being the busiest intermediate station. The line has seen some good growth over the years with incremental improvements to the service. The statistics cover twelve-month periods that start in April. The line

972-406: The outside showing local scenes, but interworked with other similar trains throughout the Great Western Railway network so did not work the line every day. Both these trains have since lost their special liveries and have been repainted in a standard liveries. Class 153s are no longer used on this line as GWR no longer operate them. There are currently no scheduled freight services. The most recent

1008-467: The platform the line still continues to Moorswater , passing under the main line again beneath the Moorswater viaduct , but this section is no longer used. With the driver and guard having now swapped ends, the train recommences its southerly journey, now running alongside the old Liskeard and Looe Union Canal and East Looe River. Another level crossing is passed at Lodge, and then a short journey brings

1044-561: The quayside at Looe , replacing the earlier Liskeard and Looe Union Canal . At Moorswater it connected with the Liskeard and Caradon Railway which conveyed granite from quarries on Bodmin Moor . Passenger services commenced on 11 September 1879, but the Moorswater terminus was inconvenient as it was remote from Liskeard and a long way from the Cornwall Railway station on the south side of

1080-407: The redundant canal. One of the old canal's locks can be seen at Causeland railway station . This is the oldest station on the line as it was opened in 1879 when passenger trains first started operating. In common with most of the stations it has been rebuilt in recent years, a smart brick shelter having replaced the original wooden hut. After passing Sandplace railway station the railway follows

1116-436: The town. On 15 May 1901 the railway opened a curving link line from Coombe Junction , a little south of Moorswater, to the now Great Western Railway station at Liskeard. The section from Coombe Junction to Moorswater was closed to passenger traffic on the same day but passenger numbers tripled. The new connecting line had to climb a considerable vertical interval to reach the Cornish Main Line which passed above Moorswater on

Looe Valley Line - Misplaced Pages Continue

1152-584: The train driver had to be in possession of a token in order to enter a stretch of single track. Because there was only one unique token issued at any one time for each stretch of single track, it was impossible for more than one train to be on it at a time. This method is still used on some minor lines but in the longest single-track lines in Britain (e.g. the Highlands of Scotland) this has been superseded by radio communication, known as Radio Electronic Token Block . In

1188-418: The train to St Keyne Wishing Well Halt , adjacent to the "Magnificent Music Machines" museum of fairground organs and similar instruments. The holy well of St Keyne is near the village which is a ten-minute walk from the station. South of St Keyne the canal swaps to the west side of the line for a while, but as the valley closes in it disappears altogether for a distance where the railway was built on top of

1224-504: Was a once-a-week service operated by Colas Rail using a Class 70 locomotive. The working was hauled from Aberthaw in Wales to Moorswater , carrying an average of 20 cement containers. This service stopped in September 2021, reportedly due to lack of demand from the customers. Signal boxes were originally provided at Liskeard (at the north end of the branch platform), Coombe Junction and in

1260-587: Was launched early in 2004 and encourages rail travellers to visit eight pubs near the line. Five of these are in Looe, two in Liskeard, and one in Duloe , a 30-minute walk from Causeland station. Eight stamps collected in the Rail Ale Trail entitle the participant to claim special Looe Valley Line Rail Trail souvenir tour shirt. The line was designated as a community rail line in September 2005, being one of seven pilots for

1296-598: Was reprieved just two weeks before its scheduled closure by Minister of Transport Barbara Castle . Since 1992 the Looe Valley Line has been one of the railway lines promoted by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership . Passenger numbers have risen from around 58,000 in 2001 to 118,000 in 2016. The line is promoted by many means such as regular timetable and scenic line guides, as well as leaflets highlighting leisure opportunities such as walking, birdwatching, and visiting country pubs . The Looe Valley Line Rail Ale Trail

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