Helston branch line, the buried 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, the buried bridge.
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Another in our 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 just been granted for the re-building of the platform at Truthall.
This cache has been placed on the site of the 3rd bridge along the line, although the bridge has been in-filled it is still very obviously a railway bridge & is the first place along the line that you can see the remains of the railway today , from here to where the line joined the main-line at gwinear rd the track-bed has long since disappeared under farmland however looking the other direction down the line towards Praze & eventually Helston you can clearly see the route of the line stretching off towards the hump-backed bridge just outside carnhell green. The bridge was built to take the polmenor downs lane over the railway this in now designated a bridleway so access to the cache site is possible on foot, cycle or indeed horse!
The cache itself is a 35mm film case that has been well hidden.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Veba & jver.
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