Bodmin General station back under cover 50 years on

WHEN British Railways ceased passenger services on the lines out of Bodmin General on January 30, 1967, and it became a freight-only operation, this meant that the removal of unwanted structures, presumably with a view to reduce maintenance costs, was carried out under the banner of rationalisation.

The signalbox, goods shed and locomotive shed were all swept away, along with the station building’s trademark front canopy – after all, there were not going to be any more passengers to provide shelter for.

Thirty years ago, when the Bodmin & Wenford Railway (BWR) was created, the long process of reinstatement of these lost facilities began. The locomotive shed and signalbox were obvious essentials, whereas the front canopy was a ‘nice to have’ objective but not essential.