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28th April 1990

Vehicle: 52054   Set: 955

CRS 'China Clay Rambler' at Pontsmill, 28/04/90, formed of a two and three-car Class 108, set 955 at this end (52054 and presumably 51933). A classic Cornish DMU railtour is seen at the northern extremity of the the Pontsmill branch. This short freight only branch and once part of the 1841 built Treffry Tramway left the Newquay branch just north of St.Blazey and served the English China Clay Co. Pontsmill kiln driers. The area was once a hive of activity for the local mineral traffic with several incline planes in the area but this dwindled down to just the china clay from the 1960's which in turn ceased two years after this photo was taken. The last train of dried clay leaving on 21/04/92. The line faced an uncertain future but did live on into the late 1990's as the preferred spot to stable the Royal Train overnight when Prince Charles visited his Duchy of Cornwall. Adrian Nicholls.

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