I can’t remember the details now, but through a great sacrifice by my family, and the suggestion of my Photography Tutor at college, in the Summer I received a Zenith-E camera: which was a good quality device, subsidised by Russia for export, and therefore cheaper than the norm. It was 35mm format, so the quality was not quite as good as the 2 1/4″ I was used to, but it was very serviceable. It was also a bit heavy and awkward to carry around, and in danger of swinging against the station wall boulders or into the waves, but I did carry it around on different occasions, and used it when I could afford film, trying out different types for experimentation. I also did my own processing and printing.
Air-conditioned carriages parked in Penzance Station’s platform 2. Their minimalist, sleek look was mainly achieved by removal of the sliding panels at the top of each window. 750510A03-PNZ-COACH-PARKD
The end face of the ‘special’ parked at Penzance Station. The rubber corridor connection was a great improvement on Mk 1 stock canvas sheeting still in use at this time. 750510A05-PNZ-COACH=PARKD
What was probably the first visit of air-conditioned coaching stock to Penzance is pictured stabled in platform 2 while the haulage loco, 50033, visits the shed for refueling. 750510A06-PNZ-COACH-PARKD
D1005 “WESTERN VENTURER” heads a short freight in Penzance Station Yard. The ‘Syphon G’ ventilated vans were typical first coaches on these trains and used for assorted loadings. 750510A08-PNZ-D1005-GDS_U
Discussions between staff bemused by being photographed at the cab of 08840, that has recently arrived to remove carriages and release a loco at the head of Platform 3. 750510A09-PNZ-08840-SHU_S
46002’s engine throbs quietly as it waits for the “all clear” so it can chug its way to Long Rock depot for refueling. It’s rather-battered front end contrasts with its “more orderly” sides. 750510A10-PNZ-46002-LIG_U
50033 rolls towards Penzance from Long Rock deport having been refueled, and to head the return ACS special eastwards. The removal of the former up line is clearly evident beside the track.750510A11-LRK-50033-LIG_D
50009 sits between fueling shelters on Long Rock depot, with oil tankers in the background. The 2-road shed behind it was the only one for use by diesels since the run down of steam. 750510A12-LRK-50009-PARKD
46002 powers away from Penzance in the half light of the evening on the single track towards Marazion Marshes. The points lever for ‘Slopers Siding’ is visible in the foreground. 750510A14-PDN-46002-PAS_U
The Coaling Tower, surmounted by huge water tank, at Long Rock Depot looking east. In the background from left to right are the industrial estate, Long Rock village, and Marazion. 750510A15-LRK-WTR_T-VIS_E
The eastern face of Long Rock’s Coaling Tower, with the Goods Shed viewed through it. Penzance Station is to the left background, and Long Rock Shed to the right. 750510A16-LRK-WTR_T-VIS_W
The gaunt, derelict north face of Long Rock MPD’s Coaling Stage. The rusted remains of the truck used to convey coal from wagon to tender lay as abandoned, inside. 750510A17-LRK-WTR_T-VIS_S
08945 halts seaward of the Coaling Tower, before setting-back into one of the Goods Yard’s sidings. Staff only rarely asked me to leave the sheds, just occasionally to be careful. 750510A18-LRK-08954-SHU_G
A three quarter view of Long Rock’s Coaling Tower looking east. An eyesore as first impression to those visiting Penzance, its endurance long after steam days was remarkable. 750510A19-LRK-WTR_T-VI_SE
50009‘s front end shows its headcode housing, jumper cable and central foot alcove – designed for use when reaching across from the buffer beam to clean the windscreen. 750510A20-LRK-50009-PARKD
A close-up of 50009‘s builder’s plate, fixed to a cabside under it’s number. Parked up at Long Rock, this loco was one of the earliest stationed here for crew-training. 750510A21-LRK-50009-BDR_P
The oval lease plate of 50009, positioned centrally on the loco’s side on both flanks. Removed when ownership passed to BR, ‘Warship’ names were eventually positioned at the same spot. 750510A22-LRK-50009-LEASE
A thoroughly British Rail (BR) loco, 50009, sits in the distinctly Great Western Railway (GWR) brickwork style of Long Rock Depot. The bricked apron shown soon merged into ballast. 750510A23-LRK-50009-PARKD
D1052 “WESTERN VICEROY” ambles shed-wards beside stock in the sea sidings at Chyandour. The tracks ooze oil in comparison with the ballast in the ‘six-foot’ which remains untarnished. 7505A24-CHY-D1052-LIG_U
A view north across Chyandour Bridge as D1071 “WESTERN RENOWN” crosses with a down service. The area in the left foreground was formerly taken with the station’s Water Tank. 750510A25-CHY-D1071-PAS_D
D1071 “WESTERN RENOWN” awaits permission to proceed east at the end of Platform 3 in Penzance Station behind 50033 and its train of air-conditioned stock. Spotters investigate. 750510A26-PNZ-LOCOS-PARKD
50033 heads a return rake of air-conditioned stock at Penzance Station. This special worked down in the quiet of the evening and returned back an hour or two later. 750510A27-PNZ-50033-PAS_U
50033 on the return special of air-conditioned stock to Penzance powers away through Ponsandane below new signals on the now single main line controlled from Penzance box. 750510A28-PDN-50033-PAS_U
D1071 “WESTERN RENOWN” drifts past the plainest face of Long Rock Coaling Tower with a down freight. The redundant telegraph poles have been lopped, yet still require removal. 750511A33-LRK-D1071-GDS_D
A pair of “Westerns” – D1048 “LADY” and D1023 “FUSILIER” – are parked up on Long Rock behind fuel drums and worn out brake blocks. An unusual visiting DMU lies in the background. 750511A34-LRK-LOCOS-PARKD
The builders plate of a rather work-worn 25326 advertises its construction details from a cab door as it lies dormant on Long Rock depot. This class of loco was a rare visitor here. 750511A35-LRK-25326-BDR_P
D1071 “WESTERN RENOWN” and D1040 “WESTERN QUEEN” face the shed at Long Rock. On the hills behind lies ‘The Golden Mile’, a south facing fertile stretch from here to Penzance. 750511A36-LRK-LOCOS-PARKD
D1040 “WESTERN QUEEN”’s builder’s plate, fixed centrally below the locomotive’s solebar. Its classic, elegant simplicity, although covered in grime, still proclaims its origins. 750511A37-LRK-D1040=BDR_P
The up postal stands awaiting departure behind D1057 “WESTERN CHIEFTAIN”. Beyond it is the sea wall, intended to protect both railway and the unfinished 1940s Eastern Promenade. 750519A03-PNZ-D1057-MAI_U
D1057 “WESTERN CHIEFTAIN”’s nameplate showing it and its bodyside were badly in need of a repaint. While others at this time were damaged, this name is providentially complete. 750519A04-PNZ-D1057-NAM_P
The number, remains of data panel, and inverted shed sticker, fixed to the right of a cab door on loco 45040. Just discernible under the number is its pre-TOPP’s identity of ‘50’. 750524A07-LRK-45040-NUMBR
The builder’s plate of 45040, which probably worked down from Bristol on a Midland service. Peaks were never very frequent visitors to Penzance, and “namers” like this far less so. 750524A08-LRK-45040-BDR_P
The nose of 45040 ‘KING’S SHROPSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY’, positioned before the Fitting Bay, glints in the sun at Long Rock Depot. To the left is one of the two fueling points. 750524A09-LRK-45040-PARKD
The nameplate of 47080, “TITAN”, from a small batch of locos of this class named after locos of the Great Western Railway. The “Egyptian” type of font used reflects the GWR style. 750524A10-LRK-47080-NAM_P
A nose-on view of 45040 standing before dilapidated buildings on Long Rock Depot. The cinder road before it has become intentionally hard-packed for access by road vehicles. 750524A11-LRK-45040-PARKD
D1022 “WESTERN SENTINEL” purposefully rides the pointwork near Penzance’s platform 3 with a local passenger service. Localised exhaust grime suggests a fairly recent works visit. 750529A23-PNZ-D1022-PAS_D
25225 is parked beside the Pump House at Long Rock depot. This class replaced the D63XX hydraulics, appeared only infrequently, and seldom worked on passenger services. 750529A24-LRK-25225-PARKD
47079, “GEORGE JACKSON CHURCHWARD”, awaits refueling at a point on the diesel shed at Long Rock. Oil and grease deposits made the area quite dangerous near the inspection pits. 750529A25-LRK-47079-PARKD
25225 on the Fitting Bay road of Long Rock depot makes occasional stuttering sounds. This front end variant looks more of a workhorse than the later, doorless, version. 750529A26-LRK-25225-PARKD=w
In the straight stretch of track between Dolcoath and Carn Brea, an unidentified class 50 hauls passengers eastwards. Fresh ballast contrasts with the spoil heap rock of the cutting. 750531A27-CBR-5####-PAS_U
Just beyond the site of Carn Brea station, a ‘Western’-headed Penzance service runs through an area very contaminated by mine workings, so lineside vegetation is sparse. 750531A28-CBR-D10##-PAS_D
D1011 “WESTERN THUNDERER” waits before a rake of Mk I stock in Penzance Station’s platform 3. These platforms, designed for Summer visitors, seldom carried very large quantities. 750606A29-PNZ-D1011-PAS_U
D1036 “WESTERN EMPEROR” gleams from its recent repaint and buffed-up bare metal surfaces, looking regal amidst its settings. Below the buffer beam some apron buckling is apparent. 750606A30-LRK-D1036-PARKD
Raising a dust trail as it thunders east at Ponsandane, D1011 “WESTERN THUNDERER” lives up to its name, in the dusk of the day. Bare lights shine from a broken destination blind. 750606A31-PDN-D1011-PAS_U
The access ramp to Long Rock’s Coaling Tower. Wagons of coal would be propelled up the slope so coal could be removed and tipped through the far side portal into steam locos tenders. 750606A38-LRK-WTR_T-VI_NW
47077 “NORTH STAR”, with extensive worn paintwork, waits to run east for refueling. These longer platforms were designed in the 1930’s to meet anticipated future demand. 750607A02-PNZ-47077-LIG_U
08954 trundles towards the Goods Yard from Penzance past the ballast impression of the former up line. The loco was paired with 08643 for most of its life when allocated here. 750607A03-PDN-08954-SHU_G
D1043 “WESTERN DUKE” powers towards Long Rock with an up passenger service, flanked by a flowery verge on one side and a rake of stock awaiting reuse on the other. 750607A04-LRK-D1043-PAS_U
D1057 “WESTERN CHIEFTAIN” passes the tapered end of Long Rock Depot’s Coaling Tower mound at speed on a down passenger service. Bees buzz among the flowers on the lineside. 750607A05-LRK-D1057-PAS_D
A huge visual contrast with its setting, D1036 “WESTERN EMPEROR” pumps out fumes as its engine turns over before Long Rock’s fitting bay. Even the windscreen still gleams! 750607A06-LRK-d1036-PARKD
Long Rock depot looking particularly dilapidated, with the portions still in use only marginally more respectable than the rest by being capped by its partial replacement roof. 750607A07-LRK-E_SHD-VI_NW
Penzance’s pilot, 08840, stands presently out of use on its usual siding at the station. It bears a PZ allocation sticker, only ever borne by the maximum two locos allocated there. 750607B32-PNZ-08840-PILOT
A graceful departure as D1012 “WESTERN FIREBRAND” takes 11 carriages away from Penzance, only disfigured by the asymmetrical ventilator on its front, and loss of nameplate surround. 750607B33-PNZ-D1012-PAS_U
47198 runs light engine out of Penzance at “the narrows” where the road alongside gets very cramped. A fine stretch of points rodding and signal wires for semaphores lie in the foreground. 750607B34-PNZ-47198-LIG_U
Apparently untouched since steam days, the roof of the southernmost roads of Long Rock depot is projected onto the hardstanding and water-filled trench between the rails. 750607B35-LRK-E_SHD-INTRR
50028, before the silhouette of the Coaling Tower, moves off-shed from Long Rock MPD. Lying in the nearby ballast is the imprint of and debris from a recently lifted siding. 750607B36-LRK-50028-LIG_D
The eastern end of Long Rock depot showing overgrown spoil dumps beyond the trackwork. In steam days coal trucks for loco use were stored on sidings here, and later condemned stock. 750607B37-LRK-L_YRD-VI_NE
The signalling ‘future’ frames the motive power ‘past’ with D1013 “WESTERN RANGER” at Ponsandane on an evening down passenger service. It has yet to gain its distinctive red plates. 750609A08-PDN-D1013-PAS_D
With no one about, a tail lamp awaiting reuse, flourishing flower beds and signals set at ‘on’, 50021 on a down passenger service disturbs the tranquility at Penzance Station. 750707A25-PNZ-50021-PNZ-50021-PAS_D
50021 heads a short up passenger service at No. 2 platform, Penzance Station. Fresh ballast has been applied in the ‘6 foot’ in connection with the new carriage servicing. 750707A26-PNZ-50021-PAS_U
A fault to a rail is spot welded while the Lookout scans for trains at Chyandour, just outside Penzance Station. The background is very different today with the by-pass rising here. 750726G27-CHY-STAFF-MNTCE
D1069 “WESTERN VANGUARD” awaits the OK to proceed at Ponsandane Crossing with a down service. Beyond the post and wire boundary fence are sand dunes and the sea shore. 750726G28-PDN-D1069-PAS_D
A west facing view of the south part of the shed at Long Rock depot, which during the dawn of diesels was dedicated to steam. A metal screen divided it from the diesel roads. 750726G29-LRK-E_SHD-INTRR
D1028 “WESTERN EMPRESS” is parked beside the sea wall at Chyandour, shortly due to back onto stock for its journey east. The driver pauses for me on his check of the outside of the loco. 750726G30-CHY-D1028-PARKD
D1058 “WESTERN NOBLEMAN” passes D1015 “WESTERN CHAMPION” as it runs into the station yard at Penzance. Between the locos can be seen buildings at Ponsandane crossing. 750726G33-PNZ-D1058-LIG_D
D1015 “WESTERN CHAMPION” and D1058 “WESTERN NOBLEMAN” are shown in the sidings seaward of platform 4 at Penzance Station. Beyond it are carriages stored in ‘Sloper’s Siding’. 750726G34-PNZ-D1058-PARKD
Roy, one of my brothers, watches D1059 “WESTERN EMPIRE” run in light engine past the raised path at Eastern Green. Signalling conduit has already been laid by the trackside. 750726G35-PDN-D1059-LIG_D
The area inside the gate at Ponsandane Crossing marks where a couple of old huts have been “rationalised” away. D1069 “WESTERN VANGUARD” waits on the bi-directional approach. 750726G36-PDN-D1069-PAS_D
D1010 “WESTERN CAMPAIGNER” at the buffer stops in Platform 1 of Penzance Station. Its styling and condition admirably suits its setting amidst the grandeur of the granite train shed. 750801K16-PNZ-D1010-PAS_D
50014 pulls away from Penzance Station past neat piles of brake blocks at Chyandour. Beneath the loco are the ‘Three Tunnels’ used by locals to access the sandy beach. 750801K17-CHY-50014-PAS_U
D7089 awaits its fate sandwiched between similarly dilapidated “Westerns” in Laira’s scrap line. The multiple curves across its bodywork show the styling that made it so satisfying on the eye. 750927A01-LAI-D7089-SCRAP
The Eric Curnow Collection 