Until I went to college, Camborne was a place to pass through, rather than stop at. Trains from Penzance would arrive slowly up the incline into the station, pause, and then pass on. My memories of the Goods Yard and Signal Box hardly glimmer, and it was all too soon before the crossing gates became controlled from Roskear and sirens, the clash of gates hitting the floor and alternate flashing reds were the only activity here.
After 1974, I’d more often get off the train at this point, if I’d missed the college bus, or at least join one here after the evening classes (“end ons”) that happened a couple of times a week. There was quite a long delay to traffic as it was quite a distance the train had to clear to arrive in the station’s “section”, and with the delay between arriving in central Camborne and the train departing, I got to know the environs reasonably well. The track between the town and Redruth became familiar too, though I only occasionally got off transport in the locality and walked along stretches. I can remember linesides being reworked from time to time, and the evidence of junctions wiped away.
A deserted but tidy Camborne Station looking “up” line in the 1960’s. The awning has been removed, but it is essentially as in GWR days, with Signal Box and crossing gates, rather than lifting barriers. The signals have a sighting board behind them. 6####EN01-CBN-STATN-VI_NE
This closer view of Camborne Station’s down platform Waiting Shelter, taken from a departing “up” train, shows a substantial building, with toilet facilities. The Running In Board has lost its bottom bar, and trolleys wait around. 5####AT01-CBN-STATN-VIS_E
“Peak” D165 runs into Camborne with a Bradford to Penzance ‘Cornishman’ passenger service on 30th May 1972 – the “B” in its headcode denoting a ‘Bristol area’ destination. The loco is in rather tired green livery with a small yellow warning panel, and its crew warily regard the safety of the photographer. 720530B01-CBN–D165-PAS_D
A car and push chair rumble over the crossing at Camborne Station, under the eye of the CCTV camera controlled from Roskear Box further down the track. The red rear door of the final carriage of the uptrain that has recently passed through is visible in the same general area, and Holman’s rock drill plant, on the left in the middle distance, still has its roof on at this point. 9011##A01-CBN-STATN-VIS_E
In the dreariness of a wet day in September 1973, a service headed by 7624 passes westwards through Camborne Station – the first year I used the station for access to college. The trackbed is saturated with oil, and as yet the buildings beyond the platform have not been removed – nor platform lengthened. 7309##A01-CBN-d7624-PAS
Roskear Signal Box – formerly “Roskear Junction Signal Box” – is little changed from GWR days, and though the points rodding is still in place, it no longer commands the spur to Holman’s Works – but does manage Camborne level crossing nearby remotely. 8####AP01-RKR-SIG_B-VI__E
Roskear Signal Box is viewed from the edge of the crossing on 24th October 1984 before the pleasant country scene behind it was overtaken by housing. There is a portacabin beside it and a footbridge overshadowing it, and although it has lost its impressive cast-iron signboard, the building still seems to be attractive and maintained in good order. 841024A01-RKR-S_BOX-VI__S
In August 1974, D1056 “WESTERN SULTAN” passes Dolcoath siding between Roskear and Carn Brea with a many-carriaged down service in late afternoon. In the siding to the left milk tanks were filled from road tankers and hoses, and up trains from Penzance or St Erth would stop beyond the white gates, reverse in and couple up before continuing eastwards. 7406##A04-CBN-D1056-PAS_D
The campus of Cornwall Technical College (“Camborne Tech”) at Pool between Camborne and Redruth was my educational home for three years. A year previous I’d been based in Redruth, as the tall Art Building was still being built. 7#####999-CTC-BLDGS-VISTA
The shadows are lengthening as a named Class 50 runs eastwards with the up TPO at Tuckingmill Valley between Camborne and Carn Brea. Being close to college, I made several photo ventures to this area – the site of Carn Brea Station where I spent lunch hours being beyond the bridge in the middle distance. Photo: John Vaughan. 810601A01-CBN-50###-MAI_U
A common allocation to the West, single car DMU P125 surges along the main line east of Carn Brea at speed to minimise blocking the path of a following Inter City service. The landscape hereabouts is dense with old mine workings, largely covered by gorse. 850704A01-CNB–P125-PAS_U
This photo has ‘Portreath Junction looking to Redruth, 23/9/55’ on its reverse, but by the time I used this stretch of line, there was little except gorse covered slopes to indicate it had ever been there – the signals and a “parachute” water tower long gone. 55###AD01-CNB-TRACK-VI__N
A High Speed Train runs westwards before Carn Brea with the Castle on the left and Basset Memorial on the right – taken from the end of the Redruth by-pass, that was a very familiar sight to me when coming back from Sunday afternoon family car rides farther east. Telegraph wires still line the trackside in 1981. Photo: John Vaughan. 810611A01-RED-2~###-PAS_D
Redruth Station when I was at college there, fairly deserted but very clean and tidy. The station still has pre-British Rail signage, including the matt-finished front-illuminated running in board, and totems on lamp posts. BRUTE trolleys wait around, with ‘Walls’ vans visible, possibly for Drump Lane bacon factory produce rather than ice cream deliveries. 73###AE01-RED-PLTFM-VI_NE
Redruth Station frontage with a view looking South West towards Carn Brea and the radio mast at Lanner Hill – faintly shown between the bus and station café – about a month before I went to college in the next street. The home starter signal is at the centre of the picture, with the viaduct curving west below the tree line, just hidden from view. 740817A01-RED-STATN-VI_SW
D1051 “WESTERN AMBASSADOR” arrives at Redruth, windscreen wipers waving, on a wet day in the early 70s with the Bradford service. The rain is so heavy even the platform surface under the awning is coated, and Carn Brea is indistinct in the murk beyond. It was quite a pull to lower the signal at the end of the down platform from Drump Lane box! 7####GO01-RED-d1051-PAS_U
A calm familiar scene to me of a ‘Western’ – in this case D0163 ‘WESTERN MONITOR’ – slowing with an up evening passenger at Redruth in 1974. Its surroundings are softened by vegetation, and the silhouette of Carn Brea Castle and Basset Monument are clear against the sky in the background. All is quiet in the empty street below the embankment. 19740912A01-PNZ-D1063-PAS-U
Taken from above the portal to the short tunnel east of the station, “goodbye’s” are said as 47498 awaits pulling away with a Midlands service from Redruth on 17th August 1974. The long building to the left is the railman’s social club, and on the hill behind is the engine house of Wheal Uny. The disparity in the loco’s buffers suggest a recent replacement of the nearer one. 740817A01-RED-47498-PAS_U
The driver of D1023 “WESTERN FUSILIER” heading the 1B15 down passenger looks back for the ‘right away’ signal from back along the platform at Redruth Station on 8th September 1974. Ahead of it is the viaduct with a sharp right hand turn, and on the skyline Carn Brea Castle and the Basset Memorial. 740908A01-RED-D1023-PAS_D
The rear of this image reads ‘3291 ‘TREGENNA’ on Inspection Special prior to opening of Drump Lane Goods Station, 1913′. The shot was taken from the footbridge looking west, and shows the loading bank at far left, a couple of sidings, and roads to and around the shed – with an array of proud employees. It’s a surprise the signalman isn’t present, too! 13###AA01-RDL-s3291-SPECL
Seen from the footbridge, D1066 “WESTERN PREFECT” passes Drump Lane Signal Box and Goods Yard on 5th May 1976 with a milk train from St Erth, probably supplemented by tanks from Dolcoath Siding a mile or so back. The yard is in decline, yet yellow ‘National Carriers Limited’ trailers litter the yard, and lines of rail vans are still in use. A ‘Modern Image’ slide. 760511A01-RDL-D1001-PAS_U
D1017 “WESTERN WARRIOR” trails a train of vans eastwards from Drump Lane at Redruth, viewed from the by-pass over bridge. This was about the limit of my photographic excursions from college, just giving enough latitude to return in reasonable time. © Strathwood 73###AD01-RED-D1017-GDS_U
The Eric Curnow Collection 