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(Fixed Telecom Network) fibre-optic cable and associated digital transmission is provided right through to Penzance. Train services are a mixture. DMUs provide a local service to and from Plymouth and on all the branches. Long distance trains operate to London by GWR Class 43 HSTs, roughly every two hours, and through services run to the Midlands, the North and Scotland as part of the CrossCountry franchise. There is also the nightly sleeper train to and from London, and even a through London to Newquay service during the summer season. Freight services are confined to the cement traffic to Moorswater (near A30(T) Liskeard) from Aberthaw in South Wales, and clay traffic between Fowey port and workings around St Austell.
area signals and points, including the junction for the Fowey freight line, plus a small NX panel linked, remotely to a solid state interlocking at Par, for control of the sections between Liskeard and Lostwithiel. The signalling between St Germans and Lostwithiel is by track circuit block (but using axle counters). From Lostwithiel to Penzance it is absolute block with traditional block instruments and bells. At Par, where the Newquay branch line diverges, mechanical signalling is retained for the station area but with a panel to control the onward section to Truro where intermediate signal sections are provided at St Austell, Burngullow and Probus when this section was re-doubled in 2005.
Dartmoor Nationa Park Gunnislake Calstock 4 signals + banner repeater
Newquay Quintrel Downs
St.Columb Road Parkandillack
Bodmin Parkway Roche Bugle Goonbarrow Junction SB
Lostwithiel Luxulyan
St. Blazey SB
Coombe
Liskeard
Liskeard SB
St.Keyne Lostwithiel SB
Menheniot
Sandplace
Par Fowby Dock
Par SB
Bere Ferrers
4 signals
Causeland
Bere Alston
Plymouth St.Budeaux Victoria Road St.Budeaux Ferry Road Keyham Dockyard Plymouth Devonport
Saltash St.Germans
Looe
Ivybridge
Plymouth power SB
St.Austell
Truro SB
4 signals
Lelant Hayle Lelant Saltings St. Erth SB St.Erth
Penzance signal SB box Penzance
Camborne
Perranwell
Roskear Junction SB
Signal Box (SB) Area controlled by Plymouth PSB
Penryn Penmere
Penzance
Phase 2 East KEY
Redruth
St.Ives Carbis Bay
Phase 1 West
Truro
8 signals
Falmouth Docks Falmouth Town
Area controlled by Liskeard SB Area controlled by Lostwithiel SB Area controlled by Par SB Area controlled by Truro SB Area controlled by Roskear Jn SB Area controlled by St Erth SB Area controlled by Penzance SB Area controlled by St Blazey SB Area controlled by Goonbarrow SB Intermediate block signalling islands
Truro is the next signal box, again with a mechanical lever frame and semaphore signals but also controlling the branch line to Falmouth including a recently installed passing loop at Penryn to permit a half hour service. The loop is controlled by levers in Truro box via a TDM system to a remote relay room at Penryn, with cabling being provided for the power operated points and colour light signals. Onwards to Roskear signal box (the London side of Camborne), which has colour light signals controlled from switches on the block shelf, and thence to St Erth, with its traditional signal box and semaphore signals to control the junction for St Ives, ever immortalised by the Flanders and Swann song on branch line Britain. The final block section is to Penzance, where power signalling controls entry to the train maintenance depot and also a short section of single line that provides a single lead into the station throat, the result of a previous rationalisation. This irritation will remain for the time being, but can cause operating delays if trains are running late. Whilst semaphore signals remain in station areas, distant signals are all colour light and the few intermediate block sections that exist are two-aspect distant and home signals. Lineside cables provide the inter-box communication and the Network Rail FTN
Altogether, there are a mixture of services but, with long block sections, a regular clock-face timetable is not possible and the desire to provide a half hour service means that a capacity enhancement is essential.
The upgrade project Whilst the plan to re-signal the whole of Cornwall and control it from Exeter PSB has been officially ‘paused’, a smaller enhancement project has commenced to improve the line capacity that will meet the franchise agreement with Great Western Trains for the December 2018 timetable change. The ensuing positive result has attracted funding not only from Network Rail but also Cornwall Council and the EU Regional Development Fund. The project is split into two halves. Amey was awarded the Eastern section and Atkins the West, with a number of new intermediate signal sections being provided plus some renewals of existing signalling equipment. The Amey contract covers from the Plymouth power box fringe at St Germans to Lostwithiel. A new signal section will be introduced at Menheniot between St Germans and Liskeard comprising a home and distant signal on both lines, controlled from Plymouth
Rail Engineer | Issue 159 | January 2018