Hayle railway station (Cornish: Heyl) serves the small town of Hayle, Cornwall, United Kingdom. Great Western Railway manage the station and operate most train services.

Hayle

(Cornish: "Heyl")
National Rail
Looking east
General information
LocationHayle, Cornwall
England
Coordinates50°11′10″N 5°25′12″W / 50.186°N 5.420°W / 50.186; -5.420
Grid referenceSW559372
Managed byGreat Western Railway
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeHYL
ClassificationDfT category F1
History
Original companyWest Cornwall Railway
Pre-groupingGreat Western Railway
Post-groupingGreat Western Railway
Key dates
Opened1852
Passengers
2018/19Increase 83,446
2019/20Increase 92,084
2020/21Decrease 47,656
2021/22Increase 118,512
2022/23Increase 126,974
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

It is on the Cornish Main Line 7 miles (11 km) north-east of Penzance, 319 miles 31 chains (319.39 mi; 514.0 km) from the zero point at London Paddington measured via Box and Plymouth Millbay.[1]

History

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The station was opened by the West Cornwall Railway on 11 March 1852 when it replaced the original Hayle Railway terminus, located in what is now the Isis RNLI Memorial Gardens. It was demolished shortly after the end of World War II.

During the 19th century, Hayle was a busy junction with goods lines running all round the town, many connecting from the embankment which is still visible behind the 'up' platform. However, the decline of shipping in the Hayle estuary meant that these freight lines were no longer of any use and were closed in 1981.[2] Hayle signal box was closed and demolished at the same time.

Preceding station Historical railways Following station
St Erth   Great Western Railway
Cornish Main Line
  Gwinear Road

Station masters

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  • James Henry Walters ca. 1867 - 1874[3] (killed at Camborne after falling when attempting to enter a moving train)
  • Thomas Albert Williams 1877 - 1895[4] (formerly station master at Redruth, afterwards station master at Chippenham)
  • James Gale 1895 - 1897[5] (afterwards station master at Truro)
  • C.H.W Isaac 1897 - 1912[6] (formerly station master at Carn Brea, afterwards station master at Redruth)
  • Harry Jack Fisher from 1912[7] (formerly station master at Penryn)
  • William Henry Harris 1926[8] - 1933 (formerly station master at St Dennis Junction)
  • A. Wingett 1933[9] - 1937
  • E.T. Roberts 1937[10] - ???? (formerly station master at Yelverton)
  • W. Reynolds 1943[11] - ???? (formerly station master at Lostwithiel)
  • John Frederick Martin ca. 1950
  • E.F. Bealey ca. 1959

Description

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An FGW Class 150 at Hayle with a service to Plymouth

The main entrance is to the platform served by trains to Penzance, which is approached by a road from Foundry Square. A footpath allows level access to the other platform too, and this continues along the route of a closed railway track down towards the wharves opposite a bridge which leads across the water to the Towans.

A camping coach adjacent to the westbound platform offers holiday accommodation.

Services

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Hayle is served by regular Great Western Railway trains between Penzance and Exeter St Davids. There is a single service each weekday operated by CrossCountry to Edinburgh Waverley.[12]

Preceding station   National Rail Following station
St Erth   Great Western Railway
(Cornish Main Line)
  Camborne
  CrossCountry
CrossCountry Route
(limited service, eastbound only)
 

References

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  1. ^ Padgett, David (June 2018) [1989]. Munsey, Myles (ed.). Railway Track Diagrams 3: Western & Wales (6th ed.). Frome: Trackmaps. map 11B. ISBN 978-1-9996271-0-2.
  2. ^ BR Past and Present no. 17 Cornwall by D.Mitchell page 135
  3. ^ "Fatal Railway Accident". Royal Cornwall Gazette. England. 17 January 1895. Retrieved 8 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ "Local Gossip". Royal Cornwall Gazette. England. 17 January 1895. Retrieved 8 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Railway Promotion". Shepton Mallet Journal. England. 2 April 1897. Retrieved 8 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Redruth Stationmaster". Cornishman. England. 13 October 1926. Retrieved 8 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Hayle's New Stationmaster". West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser. England. 23 May 1912. Retrieved 8 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Indian Queens". Cornish Guardian. England. 5 February 1926. Retrieved 8 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Devon". Western Morning News. England. 2 February 1933. Retrieved 8 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Hayle". Cornishman. England. 4 February 1937. Retrieved 8 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Lostwithiel Gift". Western Morning News. England. 23 January 1943. Retrieved 8 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ CrossCountry Trains timetable (Dec 2023 - June 2024) https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/media/7351/book1-v3-web-version-1.pdf
This station offers access to the South West Coast Path
Distance to path 100 yards (91 m)
Next station anticlockwise Lelant Saltings 2 miles (3 km)
Next station clockwise Newquay 35 miles (56 km)
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