Truro railway station

History

The station opened with the Cornwall Railway on 4 May 1859 when it was very different from today. A train shed roofed over the space between the two platforms and the level crossing was much busier and at the other end of the building, where the branch platform is today. A contemporary report tells us that "the passenger station here is a handsome stone building, one hundred and thirty feet long, with large projecting roof; and containing in the centre of the building a spacious booking office, having separate entrances for first, second and third class passengers. On each side of this are comfortable first and second class waiting rooms, parcels' room, superintendent's office, and the other conveniences of a first class station. Inside the station is the passenger platform, one hundred and sixty-one feet long by fourteen feet wide, and beyond this three lines of broad gauge rails. Then the arrival platform, which is of the same length of that on the opposite side, and twenty feet wide. The whole of the space occupied by these rails and platforms are covered by a double roof, of the respective spans of fifty-seven and forty-one feet, with iron tie and suspension rods on a novel principle. The light, airy and forceful appearance of these roofs has excited the admiration of every person who has viewed them."

A stone goods shed was built in front of the station and an engine shed beyond the passenger platforms: "one hundred feet long, and forty-five feet wide, with double line of rails, and accommodation for six engines. Outside of the latter building are a smithery and workmens' shops, in which any casual repairs that may be required, can be executed. This building being erected on 'made ground' is constructed of timber, as being lighter than stone."

The West Cornwall Railway shared the station, which was managed by joint committee of the two railways. This line came from Penzance through the tunnel but was only standard gauge until 1 March 1867 when it had a third rail laid to allow both broad gauge and standard gauge trains (the rail had actually been laid the previous year but was only used for goods trains for a while). In the meantime the Cornwall Railway had extended its rails to Falmouth. The West Cornwall Railway kept its station at Newham Quay to handle goods traffic to the town (Truro did not become a city until 1877) and waterfront, the branch crossing the Falmouth line on the level just beyond Highertown Tunnel at Penwithers Junction.

Two of Brunel's timber viaducts carried the line high above the town. Immediately outside the station was Carvedras Viaduct, 86 feet above St George's Road and 969 feet long. After passing the site of the castle, the line then passed over Truro Viaduct, which with 20 stone piers stretched to 1,329 feet and was the longest viaduct in Cornwall, although it was only 92 feet high. They were replaced with stone viaducts in 1902 and 1904 respectively, although the original piers still stand.

The Cornwall Railway was amalgamated into the Great Western Railway on 1 July 1889.

The goods shed was rebuilt quite early on to accommodate the heavy traffic handled. The passenger station was rebuilt in 1897 when the roof was removed, new buildings provided, a new engine shed built nearer the tunnel, and the level crossing removed to the east end. It was at this time that a third footbridge was added across the station in place of the level crossing, access to this being from the road rather than the platforms.

From 2 January 1905 the station was also used as the terminus of the branch to Perranporth and Newquay, although the actual junction was at Chacewater station.

The Great Western Railway was nationalised into British Railways from 1 January 1948 which was privatised in the 1990s.

Ticket barriers were installed in 2011, making Truro the only station in Cornwall to currently have ticket barriers.

Signalling

Signal boxes had been built to control the complex layout at Truro by 1880. These were replaced by a new Truro West signal box in 1897 and a new Truro East in 1899. These were both Great Western Railway Type 7A signal boxes. The West box, which was situated on the north side of the line near the entrance to the engine shed, was closed on 7 November 1971 when the East box, situated on the same side of the line just east of the level crossing, was renamed as just "Truro".

The adjacent signal boxes are at Par railway station to the east, and at Roskear Junction, Camborne, to the west. The Falmouth branch is operated under authority from tokens which are kept in interlocked machines on platform 3 and at Falmouth Docks railway station. In May 2009 the branch was resignalled and a loop installed at Penryn which is controlled from the signal box at Truro. At the same time a new signal (number TR26) was placed at the west end of the eastbound platform to allow trains to reverse back to Penzance or Falmouth without shunting across to another platform.

Description

Approaching Truro from the east the line soars above the city on Kenwyn viaduct. It then passes near the site of an ancient castle (where cattle were once unloaded from trains for market), and then across Carvedras viaduct and a level crossing to reach the station. At the far end the line curves left into a short cutting before diving through Highertown tunnel.

The main entrance to the brick-builtstation is on the south side of the line, leading directly to the platform used by trains to Penzance. The station buffet is along this platform on the left, and the bay platform that is used for trains to Falmouth is beyond this.

The platform for trains to Plymouth and beyond can be reached by either of two footbridges, one at either end of the station, but both platforms have step-free access from the level crossing at the east end of the platform.

The long-stay car park is situated behind this eastbound platform and access is over the level crossing. The gates of the crossing have to be closed when trains are due so car drivers should not expect to be able to cross the line and park just as their train is approaching.

Passenger volume

Truro is the busiest station in Cornwall. Comparing the year from April 2007 to that which started in April 2002, passenger numbers increased by 44%.From 2002 to 2010 the increase is 81%

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

Services

Truro is served by all Great Western Railway trains on the Cornish Main Line between Penzance and Plymouth with one train per hour in each direction. Some trains run through to or from London Paddington station, including the Night Riviera overnight sleeping car service. There are a limited number of CrossCountry trains providing a service to North England and Scotland in the morning and returning in the evening.

The Maritime Line to Falmouth Docks starts from Truro. A revised service from May 2009 sees a regular interval service of two trains each hour for most of the day during the week.