MUCH of Cornwall’s semaphore signalling infrastructure has been swept away in a modernisation process that was under way as this issue of Rail Express went to press.
From March 11, trains between Largin and Penwithers Junction, Truro will be controlled from a workstation at Exeter.
Siemens has installed more than 60 miles of new cabling and signalling while Network Rail has overseen alterations to trackwork, mainly in the Truro area.
The Falmouth branch and freight lines to Parkandillack and Fowey will also be controlled from the same workstation. However, the freight lines will retain a staff to be collected by a driver.
Conventional track circuits and first generation axle counters have been replaced with state of the art axle counters detecting trains along sections of line.
The work has resulted in the closure of signalboxes at Truro, Par and Lostwithiel. Par was the oldest,
