Deep winter months the south St Erth P&R site is more or less moribund with very few users M-F, most weekdays customers can be accomodated on the northern side of the station (on the right side for St Ives) although desirable a bus service wouldn't see much use at all. Rail passengers from east of St Erth can of course use the longstanding easement detailed below and travel to St Ives via Penzance at no additional cost. 

700221 Customers travelling from, to or via Truro to St Ives, Carbis Bay, Lelant and Lelant Saltings may double back between St Erth and Penzance. This easement applies in both directions.

 
Which brings me back to my original point. Why was the bus not provided in the winter half of the year? (when while there may be fewer passengers overall, there will still have been a demand for it, and in winter weather the alternative walking route would be even worse to do).

 

Correct, whether it’s luggage or mobility, or pushchairs. The bus is booked May to October by GWR, when I worked for the bus company it was one of their most profitable contracts. Very little diesel used. Very few miles so little wear and tear.

I covered it a few times and went touting for trade on the platforms when trains arrived. Something to do!

 

I'm a bit confused. Isn't this shuttle bus just taking passengers from one platform to the other, for those who cannot manage the stairs? We had heavy luggage to carry, and it was a long walk around via the road.

 

It was quiet ... and a bit nasty with sand blowing unpleasantly on the north beach in January and passenger numbers were very well indeed within the capacity of the 2 carriage train.

 

They do! I really struggled in January…

 

Do visitors not go to St Ives in the winter as well? We went there in March, and had this shuttle service existed then, our experience would have been much improved.

 
Thank you, Richard. 

CfN. 

 

It still is power supply problems.  National Grid have a very long lead time and I know Cornwall Council have been trying to get things speeded up.  The last update I had was a little while ago so I'll ask the question about the current situation and when it is likely to be resolved and the lifts fully operational. 

Richard Burningham
Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership

 
I believe the Great Western Railway used to run buses. Like a few railway companies they tended to be multi-modal operators, most notably the coastal ones running ferry services.

 
Here you go:

 

 

Yes, it’s an Optare solo, that First have had painted into GWR colours for the last 2 years for the contract.

Google search “First bus 53865” to see the bus that’s identifying as a train.

 
Really is time for some stirring on this, major embarassment for someone, surely some resolution could bave been sorted by now. Last I heard it was power supply issues but .....

 
Should be.
Single deck low floor with ramp

 
Is the bus wheelchair friendly?

 
Lifts still not commissioned. Bus from down side to upside/branch has been booked for the summer season.

 
A confession, have not been west of Truro since Feb, can someone update the status of the lifts at St Erth? The season is approaching it'll be maddening if they aren't in service when peak loads appear.

 
Temporary stairs from car park closed today, with new stairs from platform fully open.  Lifts still pending.

 

No, not yet.  Probably a couple of months until the footbridge is fully open as a footbridge but the lifts themselves are dependent on power being supplied which appears not to be as straightforward as would be thought.

 

There was (still is?) a shuttle bus running between both platforms. Low floor and chair friendly.

 
I believe the EDC is March 2025, don't forget the option for passengers going to and from St Ives from the east, can, using an easement travel to and from Penzance. 

700221
Customers travelling from, to or via Truro to St Ives, Carbis Bay, Lelant and Lelant
Saltings may double back between St Erth and Penzance. This easement applies in
both directions.

(Although staff are not fully informed of this, sadly)

Worth keeping a bookmark to
http://iblocks-rg-publication.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/easement_text.pdf

in your phone to show the reference to any questioning staff.

I presume this easement will stop when the bridge opens fully.

 
The footbridge, lifts, accessible routes between trains arriving and the branch - is this all complete now? I was asked yesterday by someone who is not totally good with stairs - and back in the summer found it a 'mare.

Mark

 
One of the problems with a subway at St Erth is the watertable. There are an awful lot of water sources in the area which would need 'dealing with' in addition to the perceived 'simple' tunneling under the track. People familiar will remember the extremely large water holding vessel buried as part of the P&R construction, that's now under the feeder road on the northern side of the station buildings.

 

Thank you, as ever, RichardB. 

 
Haha! The first self-funding underpass.

Mark

 

I can tell you that an underpass was seriously considered but ruled out quite a long time ago now. 

 
Given that Cornwall is the county that in some ways gave the world hard rock engineering & mining, it's surprising that an underpass wasn't a contender for that one. Heights there are somewhat in favour and its something that would have offered a straightforward high throughput walking route between the new down side car park and the bay platform.

Mark

 





 















St Erth is a mess including passengers aiming for St Ives from the East having to decend to the Park and Ride Carpark before re-climbing to platform level and up the temporary section of the new bridge.

 
The old bridge is no more, removed overnight, and the new bridge brought into use on an adhoc basis with temporary steps and the lifts not in service.

Details in this Facebook post

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2589934031098628?multi_permalinks=8599469560145015&hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen

 
AFAIK it's still AB from St Erth to the first stop signal controlled by Roskear Junction with a tail lamp camera provided to allow Train out of section to be sent once the train has cleared the section.

Unfortunately the Down Main from St Erth to Marazion did not become fully track circuited in the 1974 scheme, the 1974 Sectional Appendix says that for any train heading for Long Rock depot or No 1 siding, the guard must inform the Penzance signalman whether or not the train is complete with tail lamp.  I'm not sure why a tail lamp camera was never provided here since when St Erth was switched out late at night it could be quite a restrictive arrangement.

 
I'm not sure of the actual location of the fringe, but from St Erth 'box towards Plymouth, it's Track Circuit Block (using axle counters) controlled by Roskear.  Towards Penzance, it's Absolute Block to Ponsandane and from there, where the line becomes single, it's TCB to the terminus.  I think I remember correctly (from more than 50 years ago) that the Down Main line to Ponsandane is track circuited, so that the Penzance signaller can give "train out of section" to St Erth as soon as a down train clears onto the single iine towards Penzance, without having to wait to see the tail lamp as the train passes the actual signal box at Penzance

 
Camborne I hope (although the new town in Cambridgeshire is in the same general direction....)

 

It looks like 7 miles. Up to a mile west of St Earth 6 miles towards Cambourne taking in Hayle.

 
Hi all,

How far down on the CML does the St.Erth signal box cover?

Thanks all in advance
GWR 158

 
Good that work is starting on this very long running project.

Pleased that the current bridge is going to be reused at Cranmore on the East Somerset Railway.

 
At Maiden Newton we all used the barrow crossing more often than not. Then the box closed and some time after they removed the crossing.
However, common sense took over and it was reinstated.

 
Could not find out the cost of the bridge would any one know the approx cost?

 
"Work is underway to make St Erth station in West Cornwall fully accessible for the first time."

*Paddington hard stare at barrow crossings generally*

Mark

 
Work begins on the new St Erth footbridge


https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/work-begins-to-bring-step-free-access-to-st-erth

 

Looks like the bridge is intended to go to Cranmore on the East Somerset Railway where the second platform is being rebuilt.

See page 38 of the Heritage Impact Statement.

https://planning.cornwall.gov.uk/online-applications/files/70BC32F83ECA0AB85153492959BDF99B/pdf/PA20_01458-ST_ERTH_HERITAGE_IMPACT_STATEMENT-4857142.pdf

 
Been investigating this, this weekend.

Lots of Planning resources here from Cornwall Council. Approved last Spring.

https://planning.cornwall.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=Q5W2DDFGL2M00

Highlights,
1. Lift on down platform side to have additional entrance from the new P&R car park.
2. Temporary Bridge whilst construction in progress at extreme eastern end of the Station.
3. Considerable discourse on finish to new structure in the planning process.
4. Old Bridge to be used in Somerset, presumably on the Minehead line.


 

 
Light pollution is indeed significantly less, indeed Cornwall Council has been replacing light polluting sodium street lamps with more directional white light ones too. More recently the MOD have also replaced large sections of the offending perimeter security lighting at RNAS Culdrose with similar highly directional, less offensive, focussed white light lamps.

 

Thats interesting.  Must have a look at that soon.  Does it throw much light pollution like the local street lighting around here does?

 
Odds and ends associated with this project continue to be completed. I was at St Erth yesterday (29 Dec 2019) waiting for the 1626 up IET to Truro. The new high intensity LED lighting on the platforms installed intermittently over the autumn is superb. The throw across the platform area that each post is designed to cover is as near as perfect as far as I could see as night fell. A tremendous improvement.

 
From
https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/council-news-room/media-releases/news-from-2019/news-from-october-2019/good-news-for-cornwall-s-railways-as-number-of-journeys-soar/

 

Or do you mean change at Sterth for Stives?

 
Looks like lovely weather down that way.

Must find an excuse to travel from Snerth to Snives by train again soon.

 
In use earlier this week, several reports that it has been full at times over the summer months.

 
Back online now

https://twitter.com/DCRailPart/status/1146372877299716096

 
It's been deleted for some reason.

 


Format looks right ... let's try another:

https://twitter.com/DCRailPart/status/1145969478607560704

 
Link not working for me. All I get is a message that the page cannot be found

 
and we had a promo for the P&R

Devon and Cornwall Partnership Tweet - subsequently deleted it seems.

 
There's a right mess going on the platform management, let me see if I can explain. The prime foot root from the South CP site to the train is up the ramp onto the Penzance direction platform and from there over the bridge to the Plymouth platform. This is where there's a kerfuffle.

All people coming off the bridge are being forced out of the station and back into the 'ticket hall' before coming out onto the St Ives platform, this is being done for fare issuing purposes. What's annoying is that this flow of P&R passengers is mixed with those coming from the East off of the mainline, the vast majority of these of course will be ticketed already, making an unnecessary detour.

When the service gets really busy this will cause imo unnecessary angst for Rail transferees.

This clearly hasn't been thought through in the design of the scheme.

 
The D&C Rail Partnership have updated their website with full details of the P&R site and connections ....

https://greatscenicrailways.co.uk/stations/st-erth-park-and-ride/

 
The platform modifications were solely to cope with general passenger numbers. The old Platform3 was very narrow and could not efficiently handle growth in passengers. Wide platform is safer. Two sided boarding was never an issue , nor needed.

 
Lesson No.1.  Never put any signalling equipment immediately behind a buffer stop.......

 
Double sided works best (and is probably only used) for exceptionally high volume commuter traffic, either by emptying a train onto two platforms quickly, or emptrying onto one and loading it from another by careful timing of the door sequence. St Erth doesn't fit that match.

 

I came up with the thought that
a) Dispatch with doors on both sides would be a more complex and perhaps lengthier process
b) Double sided isn't commonly built these days ... and might have needed a more detailed safety case
c) Traffic is predominantly to St Ives in the morning and from St Ives later in the day, so there are unlikely to be conflicting major flows off and on the same train.

 
Most of the flow to/from St Ives would be rail side, operating as you envisage Clan Line, would have made this difficult without taking more of the 'non rail' part of the Hub. Space is still tight on the North Side. A full fence reconstruct would have been needed too.

The one issue I think that needs some permanent remedial work is the area, currently temporarily fenced, around the buffer stop considering the potential volumes of potential pax in that area. The low level railings as on the leaflet illustration will need to be installed quickly.

 
This may be a silly question.....but why didn't they move the buffet side platform over and extend that to full length ?  Then you could have had passengers boarding one side and leaving the train from the other side - (at the same time ?). One way traffic on each platform.

 
Yes, we've come a long way from:

_{The Slow Train, Flanders and Swann}

Happily, they didn't all pass out of our lives...

 

Many, many thanks for those pictures

Isn't it astonishing to consider how things have changed.  On a line that was so nearly closed under the Beeching plan, we now have a platform widened to take the crowds, maximum length trains, and a service that's running as frequently as the line will cope with - even cutting out stops at Lelant (Central not Saltings) to speed the trains up!

 
In service pics (Today - mine again, same rules as before) ..

























The Car Park will be operated by APCOA it seems, although the machines aren't working on the South side. The bus incidentally is driving pax between the Station forecourt and the South site.

 
Not planning to visit for a few days, but to report all is open, both the rebuilt platform and P&R site. Lelant Saltings reduced to 'Parliamentary' as from today.

 
Progress continues ....

Platform







P & R







(Personal Photos again)

Now reasonable suggestion that work should be completed to schedule for both segments of the work. Track and Buffer Stop now in place so just the civils around the platform to go. The P&R site is virtually deserted of people so must be very much in the closing stages.

 
Work in Progress taken today ... (once again Copyright waived)

 
Some copyright waived (self taken) for the record, pictures from today, before the works start tomorrow.

 

and of course if the bus doesn't connect eg. Up Sleeper from St Erth leaves just before A17 arrives ...  Hotel in St Erth on GWR if connections via Saltings fail ?

 
Loving the cartoon railway worker. I for one didnt spot Mr Benn stepping out the back of the costume shop changing room, but I bet the St Erth folks are very glad he did.

 
The leaflet





(Personal Twitter account)

 
That is what the 'Upgrading St.Erth station Thursday 7 to Friday 31 May 2019' leaflet says. In fact it also includes the 16A from Penzance to St.Ives. Might be something to do with the disabled access at St.Erth as St.Ives tickets are valid to Penzance so you can double back as there is no lift at St.Erth.

 

And the bus saves the walk up the hill from the station!

 
16? That's Pz - St Ives & v.v via the North coast road, Gurnards Head/Zennor, etc; goes nowhere near St Erth

 
Apart from it being a more scenic route by train. Its half the fun of going to St Ives.

 
As First say rail tickets are valid on all buses to St.Ives on services 16 A17 and T2 I cannot imagine anyone would want to get the train as it is only a 12 minute trip on the bus and the A17 is half hourly direct from St.Erth to St.Ives.

 
GWR suggest you allow an hour to travel from St Ives to St Erth for connections !!  Really ?

 
Loads of people and equipment on the site(s) north and south of the station today, there's a decent chance now of at least partial completion within the timescales. Progress has been impressive since my last visit. The construction of the disabled ramp access to and from the main down platform from the southern car park is now well underway too.

I'm concerned however that the St Ives platform work, and access to it, will lead to damage to the effective pristine nature of what's been built. There doesn't appear to be any 'dirty' road access to the work site and the machinery, spoil and construction materials will all need to be delivered and removed over the new build. I seriously can't see these operations being done by rail.

Does anyone have any access to the new track layout? Will the speed restriction into St Erth from the branch be lifted with the new track plans?

 
It did indeed.

I was there 09:30 on Thursday.

 
Ooh err that might have worked..

 
Definitely more blue sky when I was there - scorchio
(14.00 today for the record!!!)

 

I wonder if you were there at the same time as me...







Still some work to do on the bay platform though

 
All the old forecourt area has now been paved at a bus stop shelter erected. I did have a photo but it's 4+ mb and I'm not techy enough to sort it so it will post...

 
At a time when Andrew Haines is telling everyone how the passenger must come first, isn't this a wonderful example of how the passenger is low down the railway's list of priorities.  This could have been done in the winter months when passenger numbers would have been much lower, and it probably wouldn't have been so much of an issue not having the turning facilities.  Or if that's not the case, then would it have been the end of the world to leave the current set up until next winter? Or could a temporary arrangement involve a scaffolded platform over the redundant line to provide the extra width?

 
Great fun for those with luggage !! May half term in St Ives is extremely busy for family holidays  No mention of this on GWR website yet.

 
The closure is to allow the bay platform to be re-engineered to remove the redundant line and extend the platform width.

The timing of it allows the rail replacement buses to use the new bus turning facilities at the front of the station rather than on the busy main road.

Not only does it include one of the May Bank Holidays and half term but also the St Ives food festival.

 

Even the shuttle to Saltings will need a lot of buses at bank holiday and halfterm!

 
and it will be a last hurrah for Lelant Saltings Park & Ride.

 
You would need a lot of buses to match the capacity of the train service.  Also avoids traffic congestion in St.Ives.

 

It's only 12 minutes by bus St Erth to St Ives - having got people on the bus at St Erth, wouldn't it be quicker simply to drive them to St Ives?

 
Announced today....
7th May - 31st May,  bus transfer St. Erth to Lelant Saltings for connection into a train service to St. Ives,  apart from early morning & late evening services.  To do the platform work at St. Erth.

That'll be a fun half term & bank holiday

 
Was the Extreme Rail Group putting pressure on again?

 
I should add that there's no truth to the rumour that they've approved a station at Pilning Westgate with Park&Ride facilities because they need SEWWEB votes to get the St Erth deal through...

 

Rumour has it that the Government is likely to ask for a three-month extension so that the summer timetable doesn't start until August this year. 

 
State of Play as at 1500 today ....





.... major progress still needed to make the May timetable change.

 

That would be to the GW consultation rather than the St Ives one?   Very interested to hear what they have to say - maybe a separate thread?

 

Looks very interesting.  I have heard rumblings / suggestions before - amazed I couldn't find a thread to started one at http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=21166.0 . Please fill us in there.

 
Yes, I have a personal interest in Item 14 which is looking very positive.

 
If anyone is interested, I have Lostwithiel Town Council's submission to the consultation as a word document.

 
I agree the document referred to by grahame is most interesting. It seems to be a very well considered wish list for the new franchise to live up to. Someone/groups seem to have really done their homework.