Day 3 of our West Country long weekend featured two railways in far West Cornwall, neither previously visited by myself. Cornwall is a big county and it took me long enough to reach Camborne, follow a 'B' road and then a country lane to the first visit of the day at the most southerly railway in the UK - the standard gauge Helston Railway. Entering through a farm (!), the party of 20 members first had an excellent cooked breakfast in a pair of Class 103 DMUs which are used for their café. I was pleased to catch up with this pair as they had avoided me for at least 50 years of spotting.

The railway itself runs for just over a mile on the former Great Western 8¾ mile Helston branch from Gwinear Road, opened 9 May 1887; passenger services were withdrawn 5 Nov 1962 and closure to all traffic was in Oct 1964. The current layout is very simple, a single main line with a depot midway.

http://www.minorrailways.co.uk/trackplans/helston.pdf (11 Sep 2022 layout, since extended south).

After being well fed, we made our way alongside the track bed across a rather impressive viaduct to the current Prospidnick station. When the railway extends north (work is in progress), the station will be relocated nearer the farm. Our train was waiting, a Barclay shunter of 1959 called 'Kingswood'.

Coaches were a BR suburban Mk1 and the party's main accommodation, an unpowered Class 127 coach. Leaving more or less at the correct time of 10.15, as part of our thorough exploration of the railway, we covered the full run to the southern end at Truthall Halt. Track exists at the northern end across the viaduct as far as the café DMUs and, at the southern end, under the bridge for a short distance but is not yet passed for public trains. The railway, which resumed running in 2011, would like to extend as far as possible in both directions, certainly to a more populated and accessible railhead.






The weather wasn't great over the weekend but thankfully stayed bright and breezy for both Sunday visits and it was pleasant trundling along the line in such a rural location. We then returned to the midway station and depot at Trevarno. Here the party left the train while small group cab rides were made in 'Kingswood' from the platform as far as possible towards the bay (a DMU coach and on-track plant occupied most of it), then reversing again to the shed doors. Five trips were needed to fit everyone in but it was nice enough waiting on the isolated platform. After, a depot tour was allowed.









The loco then rejoined the train to give us a further run over the line, before returning to Prospidnick station, where the tour concluded. Many thanks to this very friendly railway for our visit and it will be interesting to watch progress with hopefully much more track to cover in the future.






17 members then made their way to the Moseley Heritage Museum at the delightfully named, nearby Tumblydown Farm, easily found just north of Redruth for our following afternoon visit starting 13.30. Visitors can walk from Redruth station. As with many of these railways, I (and I'm sure many others) wonder if we will ever understand what's happening on first arrival. Track and trains and sheds full of rolling stock seem everywhere - fortunately the provided track map and stock list certainly helped.

http://www.minorrailways.co.uk/trackplans/moseleytramway.pdf is the 10 Sep 2023 layout.

Entering, you see a wonderful selection of models and general memorabilia of past years such as a brick sized mobile phone in the Museum. I would have enjoyed a fuller look but new track awaited - I'd never been here either. An interesting in depth history of the railway and the connection to the previous operation at Moseley Hall Grammar School in Cheadle (Stockport) is displayed along a wall.

Firstly, I targeted the 7¼'' gauge miniature railway. It is not operated by the railway but people power propulsion in open coaches allowed full coverage. A 3-road shed is joined via a turntable to the 3-road station from where the main line goes out round the adjacent field, where we progressed to the end of available track (some shown on the 2023 plan is now lifted); the final section is largely abandoned. Nonetheless, a volunteer was noted in the shed working restoring a battery electric loco, so maybe...



Happy with that, I did the 2ft gauge track. My records are a bit jumbled and I don't think that any two participants followed the same pattern, hopping on and off trains until everyone had done everything they wanted. The public run is 650yd (station to the return loop) but we all covered much more.

Running out in the field beyond the miniature railway, the railway passes through a long curve before returning via a circular loop with a further outside loop, all covered of course, to the station and depot areas. The top station next to the miniature railway is no longer used as part of the public run but this was included, as were two roads into the 3-road shed beyond it. We also inched towards the adjacent wagon shed. The lower platform is used for public running, accessed via a curving single line around a garden, where a model train ran (ungriceable!). Both lines by the station were also done and beyond to a further shed. Three locos were used: two Claytons and an 80-year-old Motor Rail 'The Lady D'.

The very helpful and friendly volunteers also cleared stock out of a siding by the station to allow access; they fully understood our requirements, always good to see. They also accommodated family groups of 'Normals' (it was a public running afternoon, Sundays 13.00-16.30), who I'm sure were intrigued by our antics! Remarkably good value for money refreshments were available as well.



























So concluded a very thorough and enjoyable visit, thanks to all concerned. I'm told more volunteers are always welcome. All in all, a great day finishing just as the rain returned. I then headed off even further west to do the revised layout at St Erth bay P3, a move other members undertook over the weekend, some even needing the St Ives branch connection. My return back north was on the Monday. Thanks to Darren Garnon for arranging the Helston trip (it's a great shame he was not able to attend himself) and to Tim Wallis for the Moseley trip, which complemented it well. This concluded a most enjoyable West Country weekend on six different railway lines in a lovely part of the country.