carnkie
  • carnkie
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16 years ago
At one time there was a branch line from the main Hayle Railway to the North Roskear Mine. The more elderly amongst us will be able to remember it (I wasn't living here at the time) and perhaps add or correct some details.

As can be seen from the diagram it started at Roskear junction, down to Holman's Foundry, then across the main road (about where the Tesco's roundabout is and into Roskear and down by the side of the now Camborne cricket pitch (I suspect S. Roskear Mine and Wheal Gerry are beneath that). I believe there was later an offshoot to New Dolcoath. It then crossed the road and a spur led to Holman's boiler works. From there it continued on to the North Roskear Mine and I'm told, a quarry of which nothing remains. There is virtually nothing extant of the line.
đŸ”—Personal-Album-272-Image-34232[linkphoto]Personal-Album-272-Image-34232[/linkphoto][/link]
The path of the track just south of the boiler works. The spur was just north of here.
đŸ”—Personal-Album-272-Image-34157[linkphoto]Personal-Album-272-Image-34157[/linkphoto][/link]
The boiler works buildings are still there.
đŸ”—Personal-Album-272-Image-34158[linkphoto]Personal-Album-272-Image-34158[/linkphoto][/link]
đŸ”—Personal-Album-272-Image-34159[linkphoto]Personal-Album-272-Image-34159[/linkphoto][/link]



The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.
spitfire
16 years ago
I can well remember the North Roskear branch, at that time ( early sixties ) there were no-less than eight level crossings in Camborne three on the main line and five on the branch.
I do not think it served Tolvaddon quarry as this had a road connection in the valley, this quarry was used as a land -fill site until about 1967.
The branch ended just the other side of boiler works alongside the caravan site that is now there.
Across the valley also connected to the Hayle railway was the North Crofty branch which left the main line at North Crofty junction it then passed just below South Crofty, crossed the main road and on to North Crofty.
If you go to Roskear cricket club there is a nice stone embankment still in situ'.
spitfire
carnkie
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16 years ago
I was told there were a plethora of level crossings around at the time and something involved concerning the area in front of Dolcoath Road that had some connection with the tramway but the explanation left me slightly confused. This of course woulld have been earlier.
I noticed the North Crofty branch on the diagram. I assume there is nothing left of that?
I must pop down to the cricket club and take a look and a photo of the embankment.
The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.
spitfire
16 years ago
The only thing I can think of is there would have been a diamond crossing there. Down the road opposite the school was a passing loop, for the tramway that is
spitfire
Knocker
16 years ago
If you follow the line from brea tunnel twards brea, you can see the cutting where the junction was
carnkie
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16 years ago
"spitfire" wrote:

The only thing I can think of is there would have been a diamond crossing there. Down the road opposite the school was a passing loop, for the tramway that is



I think that is spot on as a diamond crossing was mentioned.
The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.
carnkie
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16 years ago
"Knocker" wrote:

If you follow the line from brea tunnel twards brea, you can see the cutting where the junction was



Ta, I'll have look next time I'm down there. Funny, I was only there a couple of days ago.
The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.
derrickman
16 years ago
when I was in Camborne in 1975-6 you could still see part of the route, I remember riding up it on my bike once
''the stopes soared beyond the range of our caplamps' - David Bick...... How times change .... oh, I don't know, I've still got a lamp like that.
Roy Morton
16 years ago
Unless years of using aluminium cookware is finally taking its toll on the grey matter, I'm pretty sure I remember the branch through Holmans Works still being used with a small shunter in the early 70's (circa 73 - 75) for 'in works' traffic. We used to drive down there to Fraser Metals and occasionaly you couldn't if they were running rail traffic.

As an aside, and an addition to the boiler works side of the topic, I wonder if the chimney in Carnkie's photo is the one depicted here on their letterhead 99 years ago?

Branch lines as seen on the OS 6" map 2nd edition 1908.

đŸ”—Personal-Album-342-Image-34247[linkphoto]Personal-Album-342-Image-34247[/linkphoto][/link]


đŸ”—Personal-Album-342-Image-34248[linkphoto]Personal-Album-342-Image-34248[/linkphoto][/link]



"You Chinese think of everything!"
"But I''m not Chinese!"
"Then you must have forgotten something!"
derrickman
16 years ago
I think you are right... I remember seeing it going into Holmans sometimes.

I was back in Camborne for a while in the late 80s so I may have my dates confused
''the stopes soared beyond the range of our caplamps' - David Bick...... How times change .... oh, I don't know, I've still got a lamp like that.
carnkie
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16 years ago
There was another important small branch line (not in Camborne) that ran for a time from a quarry on Carn Brea to Barncoose in the 1880s. The stone from the quarry helped to build the viaduct just west of Redruth station. Apologies for the poor quality of photo but had to cobble it from a rather poor bigger image. Taken from above Uny Church. You can't replicate it now because of trees.
đŸ”—Personal-Album-272-Image-34322[linkphoto]Personal-Album-272-Image-34322[/linkphoto][/link]
The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.
carnkie
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16 years ago
The stone embankment on the west side of the Roskear cricket club.
đŸ”—Personal-Album-272-Image-36534[linkphoto]Personal-Album-272-Image-36534[/linkphoto][/link]
đŸ”—Personal-Album-272-Image-36536[linkphoto]Personal-Album-272-Image-36536[/linkphoto][/link]
The path of the track behind the embankment, it then passed Roskear Shaft, crossed the road and now can be seen between some flats and a house.
đŸ”—Personal-Album-272-Image-36537[linkphoto]Personal-Album-272-Image-36537[/linkphoto][/link]
đŸ”—Personal-Album-272-Image-36538[linkphoto]Personal-Album-272-Image-36538[/linkphoto][/link]
đŸ”—Personal-Album-272-Image-36539[linkphoto]Personal-Album-272-Image-36539[/linkphoto][/link]
The end of this particular section can be seen in the first post of the thread.

The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.

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