The Cornishman (train)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/Truro_station_down_Cornishman_geograph-2505472-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg/220px-Truro_station_down_Cornishman_geograph-2505472-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg)
The Cornishman was a British express passenger train to
Broad gauge
The Cornishman originates from the days of
Locomotives and stock
As a broad gauge train, the section through south Devon was typically hauled by a 3501 class locomotive and consisted of four-wheeled coaches.[3]
London to Cornwall
In 1895 the
The train had become so popular by 1896 that non-stop running was extended when a relief section for Newquay[i] was booked to travel from Paddington to Exeter non-stop, the longest non-stop journey in the world at that time,[5] although the up train still called at Bristol until 1899.[2] The train then called at Plymouth, Par and Newquay only in the down direction, with additional stops at Liskeard and Devonport in the up direction.
In July 1904, the GWR introduced a new express train to replace The Cornishman: the
Locomotives and stock
In 1893 the GWR built special Brake Third coaches for The Cornishman to Diagrams D10 and D11. Ten of these coaches were built being 56 ft long with 4 compartments, clerestory roof, a lavatory and through corridor connection.[8]
Initial runs as a standard gauge train were hauled between Paddington and Exeter by 3031 class single wheelers with corridor stock, the train including a restaurant car as well from 1899, but after 1900 Atbara class locomotives started to be used.[9]
In 1903 a visit by the then Prince and Princess of Wales paid a visit to Cornwall and to facilitate their travel, special coaches were attached to the first portion of The Cornishman. The first new-build City class locomotive No. 3433 City of Bath was specially prepared and a non-stop run to Plymouth achieved in 3 hours 53 minutes.[10] This non-stop run was a significant factor in setting the Cornish Riviera Limited, the successor to The Cornishman, as running non-stop to Plymouth.[11]
When the name was briefly revived in 1935 the heavy loading required a
Move to the Midlands
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/59/Foremarke_Hall_carrying_The_Cornishman_headboard.jpg/220px-Foremarke_Hall_carrying_The_Cornishman_headboard.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/Ivybridge_cornishman_geograph-2387874-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg/220px-Ivybridge_cornishman_geograph-2387874-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg)
In the 1952 timetable, the name The Cornishman was applied by
During the 1960s the northern part of The Cornishman's route underwent extensive changes. Starting from the Winter 1962 timetable, the train was diverted away from the GWR route from Honeybourne to Cheltenham and instead running via the faster ex
Further changes in the early 1970s saw The Cornishman start from Leeds on weekdays and Bradford on Saturdays. There were also changes to the route between Leeds and Sheffield, reverting to the former Midland lines rather than using a section of ex-Great Northern track. The additional stop at Wakefield Westgate which this had enabled was, however, retained.
Locomotives and stock
When reintroduced The Cornishman was hauled on the Western Region by
During the early 1970s The Cornishman often brought
Great Western Railway (TOC)
In 2006, First Great Western, now Great Western Railway began to use the Cornishman name once again, running from London Paddington to Penzance. It departs London at 15:06 and arrives in Penzance at 20:40. An up journey is made by the 10:00 from Penzance to London, running non-stop between Taunton and Reading, arriving in London at 15:22 (Mondays to Fridays in 2019).[21]
Notes
References
Citations
- ^ Whitehouse & Thomas 1984, p. 94.
- ^ a b c Allen 1974, p. 52.
- ^ a b Allen 1974, p. 53.
- ^ Nock 1979, p. 11.
- ^ Whitehouse & Thomas 1984, p. 95.
- ^ Allen 1974, p. 54.
- ^ Allen 1974, p. 55.
- ^ Russell 1981, p. 67.
- ^ Nock 1979, p. 13.
- ^ Nock 1979, p. 14.
- ^ Nock 1979, p. 17.
- SBN 7110-0073-5.
- ^ Nock 1979, p. 56.
- ^ Allen 1974, p. 56.
- ^ Ford 1973, p. 86.
- ^ a b Allen 1974, p. 57.
- ^ Allen 1974, pp. 55–57.
- ^ Ford 1973, pp. 71–73.
- ^ a b Ford 1973, p. 62.
- ^ Allen 1974, p. 58.
- ^ "Trains in Cornwall" (PDF). Great Western Railway. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
References
- ISBN 0-7110-0513-3.
- Ford, H. L. (1973). Diesels on Cornwall's main line. Truro: D Bradford Barton.
- ISBN 0-04-385073-1.
- Russell, J.H. (1981). Great Western Coaches Appendix. Vol. One. Shepperton: OPC. ISBN 0-86093-084-X.
- Whitehouse, Patrick; ISBN 0-7153-8530-5.
Further reading
- ISBN 0-7110-1309-8.
- Peel, Dave (2006). "Cornishman". Locomotive Headboards. Sutton Publishing. p. 24. ISBN 0-7509-4462-5.