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Perranwell railway station

Perranwell

Fentenberan
National Rail
Looking towards Truro in 2013
General information
LocationPerranarworthal, Cornwall
England
Coordinates50°13′01″N 5°06′43″W / 50.217°N 5.112°W / 50.217; -5.112
Grid referenceSW780398
ManagerGreat Western Railway
Platforms1
Other information
Station codePRW[1]
ClassificationDfT category F2
History
Original company
Cornwall Railway
Pre-groupingGreat Western Railway
Post-groupingGreat Western Railway
Key dates
Opened as 'Perran'24 August 1863
Renamed 'Perranwell'19 February 1864
Passengers
2020/21Decrease 10,718
2021/22Increase 29,566
2022/23Increase 31,926
2023/24Increase 35,502
2024/25Increase 41,538
Location
Map
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Perranwell station (Cornish: Fentenberan) is on the Maritime Line between Truro and Penryn in Cornwall, England, 304 miles 78 chains (490.8 km) from London Paddington, measured via Box.[2] The station and the services are operated by Great Western Railway.

History

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The old goods shed in 2009

The station was opened as 'Perran' on 24 August 1863 when the Cornwall Railway opened the line from Truro to Falmouth. It was renamed 'Perranwell' on 19 February 1864 to avoid confusion with nearby Penryn.[3][4]

There were originally two platforms either side of a passing loop, and a goods shed with several sidings to south, one of which was equipped with a two-ton crane. The yard was able to accommodate live stock and most types of goods. The signal box was very distinctive, being sited on girders above the track alongside the goods shed.[5][6] It was removed in the 1960s, at the same time as the goods sidings.[7]

A GWR camp coach was sited at the station from 1936 to 1939,[8] and the Western Region also provided one from 1952 to 1964.[9]

The goods shed still stands in the forecourt despite goods traffic ceasing on 4 January 1965. A drinking fountain on the platform is a reminder of more important days, although it is no longer in use.[7]

The original Carnon viaduct

A short distance on either side of the station, valleys had to be crossed on lofty timber viaducts. Carnon viaduct is to the north of the station, crossing above the Carnon River valley and the former Redruth and Chasewater Railway. In the other direction, trains cross the smaller Perran Viaduct.[2]

Facilities

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There is one platform with level access from the car park, and a ticket machine, information boards and a waiting shelter on the platform.[10]

Services

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A new loop at Penryn allowed the services frequency on the Maritime Line to be doubled from 17 May 2009,[11] giving up to a half-hourly service. However, when two trains are operating, only alternate services call at Perranwell.[12]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Penryn Great Western Railway Truro
Terminus

Community Rail

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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 as the 'Maritime Line'.[13]

Passenger volume

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Passenger volume at Perranwell[14]
2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
Entries and exits 9,936 9,545 10,489 9,842 12,880 17,658 21,454 27,030 27,478 28,842 35,646 30,530 34,652 31,504 31,920 33,168 10,718 29,566 31,926 35,502 41,538

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

References

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  1. ↑ "Railway Codes". railwaycodes.org.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  2. 1 2 Brailsford, Martyn, ed. (2023). Railway Track Diagrams; 3: Western & Wales (7th ed.). Frome: TRACKmaps. p. 11. ISBN 978 1999627164.
  3. ↑ Quick, Michael (2022) [2001]. Railway passenger stations in Great Britain: a chronology (PDF). version 5.04. Railway & Canal Historical Society. p. 360. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 November 2022.
  4. ↑ Grant, Donald J. (2017). Directory of the Railway Companies of Great Britain (1st ed.). Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicestershire: Troubador Publishing Ltd. p. 127. ISBN 978-1-78803-768-6.
  5. ↑ "Perranwell station on OS 25 inch map Cornwall LXIV.10 (Gwennap; Mylor; Perranarworthal)". National Library of Scotland. 1907. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  6. ↑ The Railway Clearing House (1970) [1904]. The Railway Clearing House Handbook of Railway Stations 1904 (1970 D&C Reprint ed.). Newton Abbot: David & Charles Reprints. p. 431. ISBN 0-7153-5120-6.
  7. 1 2 Wills 2014, p. 35.
  8. ↑ McRae, Andrew (1997). British Railway Camping Coach Holidays: The 1930s & British Railways (London Midland Region). Vol. Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part One). Foxline. p. 31. ISBN 1-870119-48-7.
  9. ↑ 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. pp. 80 & 95. ISBN 1-870119-53-3.
  10. ↑ "Perranwell train station | Departures, arrivals and tickets | GWR". www.gwr.com. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  11. ↑ "It's the final countdown to extra rail services on Falmouth branchline". Network Rail Media Centre. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  12. ↑ "Truro to Falmouth: The Maritime Line (Timetable K4)" (PDF). Great Western Railway. May 2026. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
  13. ↑ Department for Transport, Rail Group (2006), Route prospectus for the … The Maritime Line
  14. ↑ "Estimates of station usage | ORR Data Portal". dataportal.orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2026.

Bibliography

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  • The Great Western Railway in Mid Cornwall, Alan Bennett, Kingfisher Railway Publications, Southampton 1988. ISBN 0-946184-53-4
  • Wills, Dixe (2014). Tiny Stations (Paperback, 1st reprint ed.). Basingstoke: AA Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7495-7732-2.
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