Bodmin & Wenford Railway
This railway is Cornwall’s only standard gauge railway still operated by steam locomotives and the trains run through some delightful Cornish scenery.
The Railway is typical of a branch line in the 1950′s. Great Western steam tank engines are the main locomotives to be seen here but diesel traction is also used, particularly on Saturdays
The main station on the line is at Bodmin General. The engine sheds are here, as well as a Souvenir shop and refreshment room in the restored station buildings.
Boscarne Junction provides a direct link with the “Camel Trail”, the cycle and footpath running to Padstow along the route of the old Bodmin & Wadebridge Railway.
Bodmin Parkway station is on the main rail line from London to Penzance and has a beautiful walk along the old carriage drive to the Lanhydrock House.
Trains operate from March to December – daily from 26th May to 30th September and there are lots of Special Events.
This railway has some cracking gradients the steepest being a 1in37 with many others around the 1in40 region…..get the combination right and your in for some cracking action………The line was infamous for the beattie well tanks 3 of which were shedded @ Wadebridge, they were used to tackle the very tight curves on the branch to Wenford Bridge and became synominous with the short china clay workings.
A Don Bishop organised charter with Ex LSWR (SR) 0-4-2 Beattie Well Tank 30587. The theme was to recreate the classic Wenford Bridge short mixed freight's including the china clay plank wagons.....A 3am start from home was made even worse by dreadful weather enroute but as dawn broke over Bodmin moor i was greeted with a lovelymisty sunrise. The first 2-3 hours of the charter were basked in lovely Autumn sun, the afternoon though went dull. For the last shots of the day we went back down the Boscarne branch to Westheath and waited & waited aaannnndd waited, finally we got our break in the cloud and got 4 final runs in lovely light. All in all a cracking day with thanks to our crews & Don for organising the day. Oh and the pasties @ Lunchtime were stonking!! I hope you enjoy the shots.
23 Photos