Perranwell railway station
Railway station in Cornwall, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Perranwell station (Cornish: Fentenberan) is on the Maritime Line between Truro and Penryn in Cornwall, England, 304 miles 78 chains (490.8 km) from London Paddington, measured via Box.[2] The station and the services are operated by Great Western Railway.
Perranwell Fentenberan  | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Looking towards Truro in 2013 | |||||
| General information | |||||
| Location | Perranarworthal, Cornwall England | ||||
| Coordinates | 50.217°N 5.112°W | ||||
| Grid reference | SW780398 | ||||
| Managed by | Great Western Railway | ||||
| Platforms | 1 | ||||
| Other information | |||||
| Station code | PRW[1] | ||||
| Classification | DfT category F2 | ||||
| History | |||||
| Original company | Cornwall Railway | ||||
| Pre-grouping | Great Western Railway | ||||
| Post-grouping | Great Western Railway | ||||
| Key dates | |||||
| Opened as 'Perran' | 24 August 1863 | ||||
| Renamed 'Perranwell' | 19 February 1864 | ||||
| Passengers | |||||
| 2020/21 |  10,718 | ||||
| 2021/22 |  29,566 | ||||
| 2022/23 | 31,926 | ||||
| 2023/24 | 35,502 | ||||
| 2024/25 | 41,538 | ||||
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History
The station was opened as 'Perran' on 24 August 1863 when the Cornwall Railway opened the line from Truro to Falmouth. It was renamed 'Perranwell' on 19 February 1864 to avoid confusion with nearby Penryn.[3][4]
There were originally two platforms either side of a passing loop, and a goods shed with several sidings to south, one of which was equipped with a two-ton crane. The yard was able to accommodate live stock and most types of goods. The signal box was very distinctive, being sited on girders above the track alongside the goods shed.[5][6] It was removed in the 1960s, at the same time as the goods sidings.[7]
A GWR camp coach was sited at the station from 1936 to 1939,[8] and the Western Region also provided one from 1952 to 1964.[9]
The Cornwall Railway was amalgamated into the Great Western Railway on 1 July 1889. The Great Western Railway was nationalised into British Railways from 1 January 1948, and was privatised in the 1990s.
The goods shed still stands in the forecourt despite goods traffic ceasing on 4 January 1965. A drinking fountain on the platform is a reminder of more important days, although it is no longer in use.[7]
A short distance on either side of the station, valleys had to be crossed on lofty timber viaducts. To the north, Carnon viaduct crossed 96 feet (29 m) above the Carnon River valley and the Redruth and Chasewater Railway. In the other direction, trains crossed the smaller Perran Viaduct, which was 56 feet (17 m) high and 339 feet (103 m) long.
Facilities
There is one platform with level access from the car park, and a ticket machine, information boards and a waiting shelter on the platform.[10]
Services
A new loop at Penryn allowed the services frequency on the Maritime Line to be doubled from 17 May 2009,[11] giving up to a half-hourly service. However, when two trains are operating, only alternate services call at Perranwell.[12]
| Preceding station |  National Rail |
Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penryn towards Falmouth Docks |
Great Western Railway | Truro Terminus | ||
Community Rail
The railway from Truro to Falmouth is designated as a community rail line and is supported by marketing provided by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership. The line is promoted as the 'Maritime Line'.[13]
Passenger volume
| 2004–05 | 2005–06 | 2006–07 | 2007–08 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 | 2010–11 | 2011–12 | 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2015–16 | 2016–17 | 2017–18 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | 2023–24 | 2024–25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entries and exits | 9,936 | 9,545 | 10,489 | 9,842 | 12,880 | 17,658 | 21,454 | 27,030 | 27,478 | 28,842 | 35,646 | 30,530 | 34,652 | 31,504 | 31,920 | 33,168 | 10,718 | 29,566 | 31,926 | 35,502 | 41,538 |
The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.
