On 26 August 1964 a test train headed by D819 ‘GOLIATH’ ran from Plymouth to Penzance as a forerunner of a faster, more frequent, rail service anticipated to start the following June. This was to be made possible by the closure of six little-used stations and a retiming of branch line services to connect with eleven mainline trains. It would cut eight minutes off the fastest timing that then made only four scheduled stops.
The Eric Curnow Collection 