East Cornwall Mineral Railway

East Cornwall Mineral Railway

Company type	Railway company
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	1872
Defunct	1883
Fate	Taken over by Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway
Headquarters	England, United Kingdom
Area served	Eastern Cornwall
Products	Rail transport services (mineral and passenger)

The East Cornwall Mineral Railway was a narrow gauge railway measuring , inaugurated in 1872 to serve the mining and quarrying operations around Callington and Gunnislake in eastern Cornwall, England. Its purpose was to facilitate transport to the shipping facilities at Calstock on the River Tamar. A distinctive feature of this line was a rope-operated incline descending down to Calstock quay.

After the establishment of a main line railway at nearby Bere Alston, a connecting track was constructed from there to Calstock. The original line was subsequently converted to standard gauge and began operating as a passenger service along its full length in 1908. Although many rural lines were closed during the 1960s, a portion of the initial ECMR route remained active to preserve the rail connection between Plymouth and Gunnislake, a service that continues today.

Origins

During the mid-1800s, mineral extraction activities reached their zenith in the Callington and Gunnislake districts. The transportation of minerals—chiefly copper ore, alongside tin and arsenic—relied heavily on pack horses moving goods to Calstock quay on the tidal waters of the River Tamar. Navigation difficulties at this location restricted coastal shipping. Additionally, timber and coal were imported to support mining operations.

To address these logistical challenges, a railway scheme was proposed, leading to the creation of the Tamar, Kit Hill and Callington Railway Company Limited in 1864. This company planned a standard gauge railway stretching from Callington to Kelly Quay at Calstock, incorporating an inclined plane down to the quay. Parliamentary consent was granted through the Tamar, Kit Hill and Callington Railway Act 1864 (27 & 28 Vict. c. ccxciv) on 29 July 1864, allowing construction to commence.

In 1865, authorisation was given for a broad gauge Saltash and Callington Railway, prompting the Kit Hill company in 1866 to seek approval via the Tamar, Kit Hill and Callington Railway Act 1866 (29 & 30 Vict. c. cccxii) to convert their line to broad gauge for compatibility. However, financial difficulties caused by an economic downturn halted progress on both projects despite initial development efforts.

With local mines struggling against international competition, the Callington & Calstock Railway was established and obtained parliamentary approval under the Callington and Calstock Railway Act 1869 (32 & 33 Vict. c. clii) on 9 August 1869. Backed by £60,000 in capital and borrowing powers of £20,000, this company took over the abandoned Kit Hill works to develop an approximately eight-mile line including access to the quay and an inclined plane; passenger services were not included in this authorization. The act also empowered improvements and acquisition of Calstock quay.

Construction progressed steadily, and with passage of the East Cornwall Mineral Railway (Deviation) Act 1871 (34 & 35 Vict. c. xxxiii) on 25 May 1871, the company was renamed East Cornwall Mineral Railway. The line commenced operations on 7 May 1872.

Route

Spanning 7 miles, 4 furlongs, and 5 chains (approximately 12.17 km), the railway extended from Kelly Bray to Calstock. Located about one mile (1.5 km) north of Callington, Kelly Bray sat at an elevation of 640 feet (195 m) and supported a substantial agricultural region. The track generally descended towards Calstock, except for a brief uphill section. Public intermediate stops included Monks Corner (renamed Luckett station), Cox's Park (later known as Latchley), and Drakewalls (subsequently Gunnislake). Numerous sidings branched off to serve various mines and quarries, notably Kit Hill, Hingston Down, Gunnislake Clitters Mine, Plymouth Depot, and Pearson's Quarry. The locomotive operations concluded at Incline Station, where sidings facilitated train assembly at the incline’s summit.

Calstock incline and quay

Constructed in 1859 by the Tamar Coal, Manure & General Merchandise Company, the Calstock incline was designed to transport supplies uphill to mines and bring products downhill. Measuring 2,310 feet (704 m) in length with a steep gradient of 1 in 6, it operated as a self-acting incline assisted by a stationary steam engine located at the top. This single-track incline incorporated a passing loop and a section with three rails; typically, two wagons weighing three tons each were moved simultaneously.

When ECMR was built, the railway company assumed control of the incline and repositioned it higher on the hillside to ease sharp bends. They installed a stationary steam engine rated at 14 horsepower and introduced an electric bell communication system, later replaced by telephones. Operations generally involved running two loaded wagons or three empties at once.

ECMR also extended Calstock quay to reach 1,359 feet (414 m) in length, where horses were employed to haul wagons along its span.

Connection to the main line

Navigating the Tamar River presented significant difficulties; initial proposals to link with main lines such as the Cornwall Railway at Saltash and the South Devon and Tavistock Railway proved financially unfeasible. On 25 August 1883, the Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway (PD&SWJR) received authorization to construct a route from Lydford to Devonport via Tavistock and Beer Alston. This line opened on 2 June 1890 and was operated by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR).

The enabling legislation for PD&SWJR included provisions for acquiring ECMR—a requirement that became mandatory in 1884. The effective takeover occurred on 1 June 1891, with formal completion of purchase finalized on 4 January 1894. Compensation consisted of £48,250 in shares, £12,500 in cash, plus an annual rent charge of £250.

Following enactment of the Light Railways Act 1896, PD&SWJR investigated integrating ECMR as a light railway. The Bere Alston and Calstock Light Railway Order of 1900 authorized both this connection and ECMR’s acquisition for passenger light railway service—excluding the incline—while maintaining the original gauge. Due to funding difficulties, LSWR agreed to guarantee loans.

The Bere Alston and Calstock Railway (BA&CR), a PD&SWJR subsidiary, was established; legislation in 1902 permitted construction of the connecting line alongside ECMR acquisition. A subsequent amendment in 1905 authorized conversion to standard gauge . PD&SWJR owned the Okehampton–Devonport route operated by LSWR; BA&CR held ownership of Bere Alston to Callington while PD&SWJR managed operations.

Regauging and realignment took place during 1907–1908 with negligible interruption to services. Passenger and freight traffic commenced on the Bere Alston–Callington line from 2 March 1908. LSWR handled operations between Bere Alston and Plymouth; PD&SWJR administered the branch under Colonel Stephens’ management.

The former ECMR route was incorporated into this branch line; meanwhile, the Calstock incline was decommissioned. A prominent viaduct was constructed over Calstock featuring a wagon lift that preserved access to the quay.

PD&SWJR retained its independence until the Railways Act 1921 'Grouping', when it merged into Southern Railway on 1 January 1923, eventually becoming part of British Railways.

Closure

As rural rail traffic diminished during the late 1900s, the line's sustainability came into question, prompting closure plans. Nevertheless, due to limited road infrastructure near Calstock and the natural barrier of the Tamar River, the section from Plymouth to Gunnislake—passing through Bere Alston and Calstock—was preserved. This original portion of the ECMR continues to serve passengers regularly, whereas the remainder of the line ceased operations on 5 November 1966.

Locomotives

Number	Manufacturer	Configuration	Year	Works Number	Details
1	Neilson & Co.	0-4-0ST	1871	1660	Likely dismantled in 1907; some records suggest it was converted to standard gauge at that time; subsequently sold in 1909.
2	Neilson & Co.	0-4-0ST	1871	1661	Around 1907, modified to a standard gauge 0-4-2ST; sold in 1912 and operated on the Selsey Tramway until scrapped by 1931.

External links

• Overview of ECMR history
• Guide to the Callington Branch railway

See also

• British industrial narrow gauge railways
• Tamar Valley Line