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Falmouth Docks railway station

Coordinates: 50°09′01″N 5°03′21″W / 50.1504°N 5.0558°W / 50.1504; -5.0558
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Falmouth Docks

Porthklos Aberfala
National Rail
Looking towards Truro
General information
LocationFalmouth, Cornwall
England
Coordinates50°09′01″N 5°03′21″W / 50.1504°N 5.0558°W / 50.1504; -5.0558
Grid referenceSW817323
Managed byGreat Western Railway
Platforms1
Other information
Station codeFAL
ClassificationDfT category F1
History
Original companyCornwall Railway
Pre-groupingGreat Western Railway
Post-groupingGreat Western Railway
Key dates
24 August 1863Opened as Falmouth
1 December 1970Closed
5 May 1975Reopened
15 May 1989Renamed Falmouth Docks
Passengers
2019/20Increase 0.114 million
2020/21Decrease 38,320
2021/22Increase 0.124 million
2022/23Decrease 0.123 million
2023/24Increase 0.137 million
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Falmouth Docks railway station (Cornish: Porthklos Aberfala[1]) is situated in Falmouth, Cornwall, England. It was opened in 1863 as the terminus of the Maritime Line from Truro, although since 1970 Falmouth Town has been the principal station for the town. Services are operated by Great Western Railway, who also manage the station.

History

[edit]

The original Cornwall Railway Act had provided for a terminus at Falmouth on the waterfront at Greenbank. By the time the line was built the packet ships, which had been the commercial justification for the line, no longer called there. Instead new docks had been constructed near Pendennis Castle to which the railway was diverted. The grand Falmouth Hotel was opened in 1865 just outside the station, with sea views across Gyllyngvase beach. The railway, Falmouth docks and hotel companies shared several directors, the hotel company even leased the refreshment rooms on the station.

The station was constructed out of granite was 200 feet (61 m) long and 90 feet (27 m) wide, the three tracks and two platforms being covered by a train shed. As no other stations were provided in the town at the time it was known just as 'Falmouth', and was opened on 24 August 1863.[2] A large goods shed and a 100 feet (30 m) long engine shed were both provided just outside the station. A siding ran down to the docks from the end of the platform.[3] A camping coach was positioned here by the Western Region from 1962 to 1964.[4]

The need to provide accommodation for all the staff were met by building twenty dwellings, known as Railway Cottages, in four terraces of five dwellings. These are situated just below the station by the entrance to the docks.

The Cornwall Railway was amalgamated into the Great Western Railway on 1 July 1889. The Great Western Railway was nationalised into British Railways from 1 January 1948 which was in turn privatised in the 1990s.

The station was closed on 7 December 1970 when a new station, also named 'Falmouth', was opened 845 metres (924 yd) away and nearer to the town; on 5 May 1975 the latter was renamed 'The Dell' and the 1863 station was reopened under its original name. On 15 May 1989, both were renamed: 'Falmouth' (this station) became 'Falmouth Docks', and 'The Dell' became 'Falmouth Town'.[2] Passengers now have a choice of three stations in the town: Falmouth Docks, Falmouth Town, and Penmere (opened in 1925).[5]

Stationmasters

[edit]
  • E. Healey 1863 - 1864[6]
  • Mr. Morcom 1864
  • Thomas Henry Hocking ca. 1865 - 1900[7]
  • James Parsons 1900 - 1902[8] (formerly station master at Devonport)
  • William Henry Higginson 1902[9] - 1911 (formerly station master at Newquay, afterwards station master at Truro)
  • Albert William Lofting 1911[10] - 1919 (formerly station master at Lostwithiel, afterwards station master at Truro)
  • Thomas Arthur 1919 - 1924[11]
  • James Pegler 1924[12] - 1926 (formerly station master at Totnes)
  • E.S. Prior 1926[13] - 1929 (formerly station master at Camborne)
  • R.G. Randall from 1929[14] (formerly station master at Totnes)
  • J.H. Blewett from 1933[15]
  • Fred Piper 1935 - 1954[16]
  • A.C. Smith 1954[17] (formerly station master at Redruth)

Location

[edit]

The station is at the south end of the town on the hillside above the docks and near Pendennis Castle and Gyllyngvase Beach. The single platform is on the left hand side of trains arriving from Truro.[18] It is covered by a canopy but features a mosaic panel on its wall which depicts the link between the railway and the area's maritime heritage. It has level access from the car park.

Passenger volume

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While passenger numbers have been steadily growing at most Cornish stations in recent years, the growth at Falmouth Docks has been exceptional. More than 28,000 people passed through the station in the twelve months ending March 2003, but this had more than doubled just four years later and almost quadrupled by 2014–15. Falmouth Town, however, continues to be the busiest of the three stations in Falmouth.[19][needs update]

  2002-03 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12
Entries 14,305 18,815 23,208 28,371 31,609 49,652 45,949 46,473 52,234
Exits 14,156 19,619 24,108 31,171 35,555 49,652 45,949 46,473 52,234
Total 28,461 38,434 47,316 59,542 67,164 99,304 91,890 92,946 104,468

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

Services

[edit]
A Class 150 arriving at Falmouth Docks from Truro

All trains are operated by Great Western Railway to and from Truro. Until 2009 they ran approximately once each hour – often much less than this[20] – but they were then increased in frequency. They are now every 30 minutes Monday - Saturday day time and hourly at evenings and on Sundays. This is possible because of the new passing loop at Penryn.[21]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Falmouth Town   Great Western Railway
Maritime Line 		  Terminus

Community Rail

[edit]

The railway from Truro to Falmouth is designated as a community rail line and is supported by marketing provided by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership. The line is promoted under the "Maritime Line" name.[22]

References

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  1. ^ http://www.magakernow.org.uk/idoc.ashx?docid=f3fabe0c-206f-4e0c-8889-4ce4a5060e5b&version=-1[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ a b Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 94. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
  3. ^ Bennett, Alan (1988). The Great Western Railway in Mid Cornwall. Southampton: Kingfisher Railway Publications. ISBN 0-946184-53-4.
  4. ^ McRae, Andrew (1998). British Railways Camping Coach Holidays: A Tour of Britain in the 1950s and 1960s. Vol. Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part Two). Foxline. p. 95. ISBN 1-870119-53-3.
  5. ^ Cooke, R A (1977). Track Layout Diagrams of the GWR and BR WR: Section 10, West Cornwall. Harwell: R A Cooke.
  6. ^ "Falmouth Docks". Lake’s Falmouth Packet and Cornwall Advertiser. England. 30 April 1864. Retrieved 21 September 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Death of Falmouth's Stationmaster". Royal Cornwall Gazette. England. 25 October 1900. Retrieved 21 September 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Falmouth". Cornubian and Redruth Times. England. 24 October 1902. Retrieved 21 September 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "The New Stationmaster". Lake’s Falmouth Packet and Cornwall Advertiser. England. 13 December 1902. Retrieved 21 September 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Staff Change on G.W.R". Royal Cornwall Gazette. England. 13 April 1911. Retrieved 21 September 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Railway Record". Western Morning News. England. 4 March 1924. Retrieved 21 September 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ "Mr. James Pegler". Western Morning News. England. 26 April 1924. Retrieved 21 September 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ "Camborne Station Master's Departure". Cornish Post and Mining News. England. 12 June 1926. Retrieved 21 September 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ "Totnes Stationmaster for Falmouth". Western Morning News. England. 1 June 1929. Retrieved 19 September 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ^ "Presentation to new Falmouth Station-Master". Western Morning News. England. 6 May 1933. Retrieved 21 September 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ^ "Retiring after 50 years' service on the railway". West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser. England. 8 April 1954. Retrieved 21 September 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. ^ "New Stationmaster". West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser. England. 1 July 1954. Retrieved 21 September 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. ^ Jacobs, Gerald (2005). Railway Track Diagrams Book 3: Western. Bradford-on-Avon: Trackmaps. ISBN 0-9549866-1-X.
  19. ^ "Station Usage". Rail Statistics. Office of Rail Regulation. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  20. ^ "National Rail Timetable 143 (Winter 2008)" (PDF). Network Rail. Retrieved 15 December 2008.
  21. ^ "Penryn loop installed". Modern Railways. 65 (722). Ian Allan: 12. 2008. ISSN 0026-8356.
  22. ^ Department for Transport, Rail Group (2006), Route prospectus for the … The Maritime Line
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Falmouth Docks railway station.
This station offers access to the South West Coast Path
Distance to path 100 yards (91 m)
Next station anticlockwise Falmouth Town
0.5 miles (0.80 km)
Next station clockwise Penzance 60 miles (97 km)


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