Description
Truro Railway Station serves the city of Truro in Cornwall and is a journey of some 300.75 miles from London Paddington It’s an important stop on the Cornish Main Line. It also acts as the junction for the branch line to Falmouth Docks.
History
Truro Station opened on May 4, 1859, as part of the Cornwall Railway which was amalgamated into the Great Western Railway on 1 July 1889 the date we feature on the clock.. At the time, the station was very different from that which we see today. It featured a train shed that covered the area between two platforms, and the level crossing was much busier, situated at the other end of the building, near where the branch platform is now.
A contemporary description of the station highlighted its grand design:
- A 130-foot-long stone building with a large, projecting roof.
- The central area housed a spacious booking office, with separate entrances for first, second, and third-class passengers.
- On either side, there were comfortable waiting rooms and a parcels room.
- The passenger platform measured 161 feet long and 14 feet wide, with three broad-gauge rails beyond it.
- An arrival platform of the same length but 20 feet wide was also covered by a double roof with iron supports.
The design of the station’s roofs was particularly admired for its light, airy appearance and innovative construction, which made a lasting impression on those who saw it.
The Carvedras Viaduct was an iconic structure in Truro, Cornwall, built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel for the Cornwall Railway. Opened in 1859, the original viaduct was made of timber and spanned St George’s Road. It was designed to accommodate the broad-gauge trains that were a feature of Brunel’s engineering vision for the railway, allowing for wider and more stable tracks.
At the time of its opening, the viaduct played an essential role in facilitating goods and passenger trains across the area, making it a critical part of the railway’s infrastructure. Notice the broad-gauge goods train passing ovcr, which was a regular occurence of the Cornwall Railway during that era.
The original timber viaduct was eventually replaced, but it remains a key part of Cornwall’s railway heritage, reflecting Brunel’s bold and innovative approach to railway design. The use of broad-gauge trains was also a hallmark of Brunel’s work, although it was phased out in the UK by the late 19th century in favor of standard gauge.
