The Looe Valley Line


Welcome to the Looe Valley Line


A trip on the line


The Looe Valley Line, one of Britain’s most scenic and unusual branch lines starts from its own station, at right angles to the main line, in the historic market town of Liskeard.


On leaving Liskeard, the line curves and drops sharply, under the main line, to the quiet junction at Coombe.


Here the driver and guard change ends and the train reverses along the East Looe River valley for the seven mile trip to Looe.


Originally the line continued past Coombe to Moorswater, under the great viaduct carrying the Cornish main line west of Liskeard, connecting there with mineral railways to the Caradon mines.


But in 1901, the new curve was built to link the branch line with the main line and Coombe Junction and the Looe station at Liskeard opened.


Few trains run into Coombe Junction station nowadays, its convenience as a place where steam engines could change ends no longer needed.


www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk


First is St Keyne. A ten minute walk up the lane leads to the village of St Keyne, famous for its holy well.


Legend has it that newly weds who imbibed the water could sort out who ‘would wear the trousers’ in the relationship. It was quite simple - whoever drank first would definitely rule the roost.


has great real ales, local cider from Cornish Orchards and an extensive menu www.ploughduloe.co.uk


After Causeland, the line leaves the woods and reaches Sandplace station.


Just after Sandplace, the train stops briefly at Terras Bridge where remains of one of the canal’s locks can be seen to the left.


The line from Coombe Junction passes through the heavily wooded river valley, with river, railway and the remains of the old Liskeard - Looe Union Canal (whose owners built the line) passing very close together.


All the intermediate stations are request stops, so people wishing to leave the train need to let the conductor know in good time.


The Looe Valley Line, which links Liskeard and Looe, is one of the most unusual and scenic railway lines in Britain.


Trains run all year round. There are twelve trains a day, Mondays to Saturdays. Sunday trains run between May and October. The journey takes around half an hour.


Find out more about the line, one of the gems of Britain’s railway network, in this guide and then come and take a trip yourself.


The next station is Causeland. Behind the platform is an excellent example of one of the canal’s locks.


A fifteen minute walk up from the station will bring you to the village of Duloe, with its ancient stone circle and 13th Century church. Its 18th Century village pub, The Plough, now an award- winning restaurant and bar,


Here the valley widens right out and the most spectacular section of line is reached.


For the next two miles, the line passes right along the side of the estuary, beautiful especially when the tide is in and a delight for bird- watchers with the tide out.


Looe appears on the right hand side and the train has reached the end of the line. The town centre is a five minute walk from the station, just turn right .


Looe’s sandy beach and famous Banjo Pier are less than ten minutes walk from the station, simply follow the signs through the town centre.


The narrow streets and active quayside of Looe are great to explore and there are lots of places to eat and drink, including a number of good pubs.


The Looe Valley Line


View from the train 3


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