The Looe Valley Line History of the


Looe Valley Line For centuries, the Looe Valley has been shaped by the progress of the agricultural industry, and at one time every farm had an orchard for producing cider.


The acidic soils of the valley required neutralising with lime which had to be imported.


A canal was built from the East Looe river to Moorswater to carry the lime, thus reducing transportation costs into the valley for local farmers.


The railway, today’s Looe Valley Line, was built by the canal owners to replace the canal and opened for goods traffic on 27 December 1860.


It was nearly nineteen years before the line would open officially for passengers - 11 September 1879, but in the meantime, passengers were carried free from time to time, paying instead for transport of personal belongings such as hats, umbrellas and parcels.


For more than twenty years, passengers travelling between Looe and the main line at Liskeard had the long steep hill to contend with between Moorswater and Liskeard stations.


On 15 May 1901, this was tackled once and for all by the opening of the Coombe Junction to Liskeard link, a marvel of railway engineering designed by famous local engineer, Joseph Thomas, a horseshoe curve of over two miles to overcome a difference in height of 150 feet.


In fact Coombe Junction and Liskeard stations are


www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk


just half-a-mile apart as the crow flies.


The Looe Valley Line station at Liskeard was run by a separate company to the main line station until 1909, when the Great Western Railway took over the line to Looe.


The line has been saved from closure twice - in 1935, the Great Western Railway proposed to build a new direct line between Trerulefoot, near St Germans, on the main line and Looe.


Construction work had already started when war intervened to stop the scheme for ever.


And in September 1966, the line was reprieved from falling under the Beeching Axe just two weeks before closure was due to take place.


Free onsite parking and WiFi access


Beautiful gardens | Optional residents’ dining Winter Sunday Roasts open to all Small wedding receptions Children welcome


Polraen Country House Sandplace Looe PL13 1PJ Tel. 01503 263956 www.polraen.co.uk


The Looe Valley Line 5


A short stroll from Sandplace Station on the Looe Valley Line - a charming family run


country house hotel. Quiet, relaxing and just five minutes from Looe and the sea.


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