Leaving St Austell station, the Good’s Yard was accessed by a sharp curve on the left, and largely visible from the main line. The buildings seemed to be of about 1930s vintage, made of concrete bases raised off the ground on saddle stoned supports, with concrete panel walls, low-angle slate roofs and ventilators on their ridges. Vehicles of various sorts were parked there, but I only saw a train exceptionally. Behind them was a wide expanse of predominantly white bungalows, and the waste tips (“The Cornish Alps”) along the horizon. The line dropped towards the next station on the coast at Par, flanked by fields, the Carlyon Golf Course and various china clay related buildings and settling tanks. My eyes were always fixed northwards, ready to glimpse St Blazey Depot as we passed, and after the chapel, the station area opened before me. Sometimes a Newquay service DMU would be waiting on the opposite side of the island platform we’d draw into, and occasionally there would be a loco and wagons or vans.
Large tank engine 4206 smokes quietly as it awaits departure with a china clay train at Par on 11th July 1958.With its large firebox and side tanks it really “looks the business” for pulling such trains, of many covered wagons slowly creaking, clanking and groaning as they were hauled along jointed track in less than the finest of condition. 580711A01-PAR-s4206-PARKD
4949 “PACKWOOD HALL’ hauls a goods up the embankment towards St Austell, close to Carlyon Bay Golf Club on 28th June 1956. Judging by the absence of steam leaks, and the fireman hanging over the cab side instead of shoveling, it seems there is enough steam available for the climb. Photographer: T. Martin. 560628A01-PAR-s4949-GDS_D
Leaking steam partially envelops 5029 “NUNNEY CASTLE” as it storms away from Par westwards on a stopping train in 1960, viewed from the cab of 6825 “LLANVAIR GRANGE”. The land to the right is marshy and separated from the railway by a wooden post wire fence and path, and the station and yard are discernible behind to the left. 60###AK01-PAR-s5029-PAS_D
A water column and wooden signals are still in position at Par Station when this was shot on 24th April 1962. D855 “TRIUMPH” in original green livery hums into the down platfom with a Penzance-bound train, slowing for a scheduled stop, as viewed from the overbridge, westwards. 620424A01-PAR-D855–PAS_D
Warship Class D804 “AVENGER” nears Par in 1963 with an up TPO (Travelling Post Office). It is in original green livery with small yellow warning panel and has yet to have its 3-digit headcode framework replaced by a 4-character inset assembly. A lush profusion of brambles dominates the left lineside cutting and wooden fencing uprights the right. 63###AH01-PAR–D804-MAI_U
D862 “VIKING” pulls the 12.10 St Blazey to Fowey china clay at Par on 1st January 1968. I think this is my favourite ‘Warship’ photograph ever; the loco in maroon; the full train representing prosperity; the landscape uncluttered; capped off by it being a lovely Cornish day. I believe I remember witnessing such a sight myself, at the footcrossing further right. 1968###AH01-PAR–D862-C_CLY
With steam heat escaping from an insecure pipe connection, a ‘Western’ rounds a curve west of Par upon newly-laid ballast with a Penzance-bound service in the twilight of the day. The skyline, telegraph poles and the silhouette of fir trees stand alongside stark against the cloudy sky. 6####FM01-PAR-D10##-PAS_D
The home starter has already been reset to “off” as a Penzance-bound train of Mk1 carriages climbs away west from Par, alongside D1041 “WESTERN PRINCE” that is arriving with an up service, on 26th June 2023. On the opposite side of track is the boundary fence of GWR-era spearpoint railings, and the path that leads to the allure of St Blazey depot. 760626A01-PAR-D1041-PAS_U
Passengers from the Newquay Branch train on the left await an up passenger service at Par Station in the Indian Summer of September 1976. A porter is loading a trolley with a suitcase and brown mail boxes, and Brute trolleys lie under the awning before the seat shelters, that looks badly in need of repainting in brighter colours. 7609##A01-PAR-STATN-VI__E
A dirty Class 50 on a Penzance service with headcode set to zeros slows to pick up passengers at Par Station in 1976 – a drought year when saving water precluded cleaning trains. A rake of Newquay line coaches is on the far side of the island platform, and the bright sun casts deep shadows across it, but lightens the palm trees beside the down platform. 76###AL01-PAR-50###-PAS_D
A misty view of the station and trackwork from the overbridge at Par looking west, with a couple of scissor crossings, plus a spur to the right where the station pilot rested. In the distance beside the nearly hidden signal box lurks a Class 25, and the space to the north of the site has been cleared of the loading paraphanalia, where once a pre-GWR goods shed existed. 7308##C01-PAR-STATN-VI__W
This view from Par station shows 45136 with the 09.21 Leeds to Penzance smoking away as it awaits departure. The view beyond is interesting as it shows the sinuous trackwork and AWS ramps westwards, chapel siding and the chapel to the right, an array of semaphores, houses of the village, and the ECC Par works in the distance – building and chimneys. 850410A01-PAR-45136-PAS_D
It is misty as D1059 “WESTERN EMPIRE” comes off the Newquay branch as it pulls into Par Station with a through service to Paddington in 1974. The distinctive semaphores stand sentinel beside the Signal Box as the signalman hurries to collect the tablet as the engine passes. Below the right signal is the chapel that the siding beside it got its name from. 740912A01-PAR-D1059-PAS_U
The guard of a train of china clay “hoods” looks back to check the integrity of his train as it draws out onto the main line at Par Station in April 1976. The train engine seems to be 25213, and it appears to be transferring to the down main. The carriage/hut to the left is the railwayman’s club, and pipes on the field behind suggest development there is imminent. 7704#AD01-PAR-25###-CCLAY
A rail worker checks his gear as ‘Peak’ No 45104 “THE ROYAL WARWICKSHIRE FUSILIER” rolls into Par from the Penzance direction with a Midlands-bound train of vans. The path below the spear-pointed railings on the opposite platform leads to Par village, and shrubs on land to the south are beginning to encroach it. 7####BG01-PAR-45104-GDS_U
At the end of a slow descent from St Austell, large-logo liveried 50022 “Anson” checks its speed as it approaches Par with an up passenger service of Mk1 stock. The sea of the south coast can be seen not far back – the first glimpse since the train left Penzance. 860721A01-PAR-50022-PAS_U
The Eric Curnow Collection 