Helston branch line, Crowan bridge. Traditional Cache
Furry-Pasty-Munchers: regrettably i'm having to archive this & other caches in the series (probably eventually all of them) due to me not having the time to maintain them any more.
Helston branch line, Crowan bridge.
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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The cache itself is a very small click lock box & contains an eden project keyring & badge, a southern comfort keyring, pencil & log book. there is only room for the smallest swaps & trackables. Can be done as a cache & dash but is limited parking nearby.
The third in a series of caches along the course of the old Helston branch line, the line was first opened in 1887 & ran between Helston station & Gwinear road (between Camborne & Hayle) where it joined the main line, there were also stations at Praze & Nancegollen & later a further platform at Truthall. The railway originally ran steam engines until the late 50’s when they were replaced by diesels. In the early 60’s, along with many branch lines the decision was made to close the line and the last passenger train ran in November 1962 it stayed open for a couple of years for freight trains but they too stopped in October 1964.
The railway line has always been important to me personally as along with many ex-Helston school pupils of a certain age will remember a section of the track-bed formed part of our cross-country course including across the spectacular Lowertown viaduct.
More recently a group of enthusiasts decided to form ‘The Helston Railway Preservation Co Ltd’ with a view to restoring and eventually re-opening a section of the railway. Based at Trevarno they have cleared a large section of the line & have laid down a section of track within Trevarno Gardens & have acquired a couple of diesels engines that they regularly run on this section of track. The long-term aim is to once again run passenger trains between Nancegollen & Helston ,with additional stations at Trevarno and at Truthall. They have recently completed work on the platform at Trevarno and there is an information centre there. (The gardens themselves are worth a visit anyway). Planning permission has also been granted for the re-building of the platform at Truthall.
This fine granite built bridge is typical of the bridges along this branch line and stands as testament to the quality of materials & workmanship that went into their building that it is still in remarkably good condition after all these years. Most of the all-granite bridges along this branch line remain, whereas the ones with granite abutments & iron top sections like the ones either side of praze have had the iron sections removed probably more for there scrap value than any aesthetic reasons I would imagine.
Built to carry the line over the road from clowance estate to the pretty little village of crowan, by my calculations this is bridge no 10.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
vil