Purchase By The West Cornwall Railway
Cornish interests promoted a railway that became the West Cornwall Railway, with the object of providing a through railway between Penzance and Truro, connecting there with the Cornwall Railway, and giving rail connection to Devon and the Great Western Railway.
The West Cornwall Railway got an Act of Parliament on 3rd August 1846, and the powers included the purchase of the Hayle Railway and adoption of most of its alignment. The actual purchase took effect on 3rd November 1846.
The West Cornwall Company decided to improve the Hayle Railway main line, altering its alignment from Hayle to the south of Copperhouse Pool, converging with the old main line at Trenawin, so avoiding the Angarrack inclined plane. At Penponds, the inclined plane was avoided by the construction of a new timber viaduct 693 feet long at a higher level over the valley there, enabling easing of the gradient. The stations at Hayle and Redruth were relocated on the respective new sections of West Cornwall route.
The new owner closed the Hayle Railway network on 16 February 1852 to enable conversion work to take place, and it reopened on 11 March 1852 as part of a new Penzance - Redruth line, using the Hayle Railway terminus at Redruth. The old Angarrack alignment was abandoned east of Phillack, and the old Penponds alignment was abandoned. The Tresavean and Portreath branches continued in operation under the new owner.
The West Cornwall Railway opened its main line east of Redruth (with a new station there) ceremonially on 25th August 1852, and the old Hayle Railway station at Redruth was reduced to a goods station.
Main article: West Cornwall RailwayRead more about this topic: Hayle Railway
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