Penzance railway station
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Penzance | |||
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|---|---|---|---|
| Location | |||
| Place | Penzance | ||
| Local authority | Penzance | ||
| Operations | |||
| Managed by | First Great Western | ||
| Platforms in use | 4 | ||
| Annual Passenger Usage | |||
| 2004/05 ** | 0.403 million | ||
| History | |||
| Key dates | Opened 11 March 1852 | ||
| National Rail - UK railway stations | |||
| Annual passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Penzance. | |||
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Penzance railway station serves the town of Penzance, Cornwall, UK. The station is the terminus of the Great Western Main Line from London though the Westcountry. The current journey time to or from London is about 5 hours.
Most of the platforms are covered by a large roof but some services use a platform on the south side which is uncovered (Platform 4). A large stone at the end of this platform welcomes people to Penzance in both English and Cornish. This side of the station is built on the sea wall near the harbour, the other side is cut into the hillside.
It is the southernmost and westernmost station in England, although not the UK as some stations in Scotland are further west. The station is operated by First Great Western as is every other station in Cornwall.
This is the terminus of the Night Riviera sleeper train from London Paddington station.
One of Britains longest distance rail service starts at Penzance, the 0830 Penzance - Dundee, arriving in Dundee at 20:23, a total time of 11:53, run by Virgin Trains.
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[edit] Bus station
The bus station is situated immediately outside the station entrance; this good example of transport integration arising from the Great Western Railway's operation of most of the early bus services in the area. History has come full circle, with the First Group again operating a large number of both the buses and trains in the area.
The Tourism Information Centre is located in the middle of the bus station.
[edit] History
The station was opened by the West Cornwall Railway on 11 March 1852 as the terminus of its line from Redruth. This wooden station was replaced by the current buildings in 1879. Further alterations were made in 1937 and again in 1983 when new a ticket office and buffet were opened.
The arch that is blocked up in the wall that retains the hillside behind the platforms was used by the railway as a coal store. Freight traffic, especially the busy fish trade, was handled in a goods yard where the cars are now parked adjacent to the bus station. An engine shed was also situated here before being moved to the opposite side of the line near the end of the retaining wall, but it has since been replaced by the new Penzance TMD outside the station at Long Rock.
[edit] Platform Usage
At Penzance certain trains use certain platforms:
- Platform 1 - FGW HSTS
- Platform 2 - Virgin Trains Voyagers, FGW DMU Local Services
- Platform 3 - Virgin Trains Voyagers, FGW DMU Local Services, South West Trains Services
- Platform 4 - FGW HSTs, FGW Sleeper Train
- At Weekends Platform 4 is also used by Virgin Trains Voyagers, and FGW DMU Local Services.
- Virgin Voyagers sometimes double up on platform 2, one in front of the other, but not coupled up. The one in front runs an earlier service than the one behind, they can also do this once their services have finished for the day and await to depart to Penzance TMD for overnight servicing.
- Local DMU services are stored on platforms 2 and 3, and sometimes in the sidings off platform 4 overnight for servicing. This leaves plaforms 1 and 4 for early morning intercity services to use, before the local services start.
[edit] Further reading
The Great Western Railway in West Cornwall by Alan Bennett, Runpast Publications 1988, ISBN 1-870754-12-3
[edit] External links
- Train times and station information for Penzance railway station from National Rail
- Street map and aerial photo of Penzance railway station from Multimap.com
| Preceding station | National Rail | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Erth | First Great Western Great Western Main Line |
Terminus | ||
| St Erth | Virgin Trains Cross-Country Route |
Terminus | ||
| St Erth | South West Trains very limited service |
Terminus | ||
| This station offers access to the South West Coast Path | |
|---|---|
| Distance to path | 50 yards |
| Next station anticlockwise | Falmouth Docks 60 miles |
| Next station clockwise | St Ives 41 miles |
| Railway stations in Cornwall and West Devon | |
|---|---|
| Great Western Main Line: | Penzance • St Erth • Hayle • Camborne • Redruth • Truro • St Austell • Par • Lostwithiel • Bodmin Parkway • Liskeard • Menheniot • St Germans • Saltash • St Budeaux Ferry Road • Keyham • Dockyard • Devonport • Plymouth |
| St Ives Bay Line: | St Erth • Lelant Saltings • Lelant • Carbis Bay • St Ives |
| Maritime Line: | Truro • Perranwell • Penryn • Penmere • Falmouth Town • Falmouth Docks |
| Atlantic Coast Line: | Par • Luxulyan • Bugle • Roche • St Columb Road • Quintrell Downs • Newquay |
| Looe Valley Line: | Liskeard • Coombe • St Keyne • Causeland • Sandplace • Looe |
| Tamar Valley Line: | Plymouth • Devonport • Dockyard • Keyham • St Budeaux Victoria Road • Bere Ferrers • Bere Alston • Calstock • Gunnislake |
| Heritage Railways | |
| Bodmin & Wadebridge: | Bodmin Parkway • Colesloggett Halt • Bodmin General • Boscarne Junction |
