‘Mass visit’ - an enjoyable jaunt to Coombe Junction Halt…
In RAIL 794’s The Fare Dealer I wrote about the ‘mass visit’ to Teesside Airport station, which took place on March 13.
Colleague Peter Murnaghan, whom I’ve known for many years, recently planned a similar visit to Coombe Junction Halt (on the Looe Valley Line) on May 14.
The Great Western Main Line through Liskeard opened in 1859 and the railway to Looe in 1860. But they weren’t linked until 1901, with passenger trains first taking the 285-degree spiral from Liskeard to Coombe Junction on May 15, 115 years ago.
Incidentally, the link from the main line to the branch has never been authorised for passenger use, which prevents specials going to Looe without everyone having to disembark and re-join.
While all trains have to reverse at Coombe Junction itself, only two a day proceed into the platform at the Halt. So it’s not surprising (given its local terrain) that recorded usage consisted of only 26 passengers in 2015!
Both to celebrate the anniversary and to see what he could do to raise numbers in just one day, Peter arranged an event whereby people gathered at Liskeard station and walked down to Coombe Junction, then joined the 1052 train back.
Well, 108 people turned up! Each received a £1.50 GroupSave single to Liskeard, with the train crew being very accommodating. A good load for an already well-filled Class 153 single-car train - but then it was quadruple a normal year’s carryings on one train after all!
It was also good publicity in general, as it featured in local newspapers and on local radio and TV.