One of the aims of the Helston Railway in Cornwall is to purchase the Lowertown viaduct, which would help it achieve its target of reaching the centre of Helston.
Lowertown viaduct, also called the Cober viaduct, spans the river Cober at Lowertown near Helston, has six arches, is 313 feet long and 120 feet high, and crosses the valley in a graceful curve.
In July, the railway launched an appeal to raise £100,000 towards purchasing the viaduct, and in August, it reached an agreement with the owner of the viaduct, Nick Kenlay, that it could purchase the viaduct.
To celebrate the agreement, on a sunny day last September, Nick invited a group of Helston Railway members to take tea with him in the centre of the viaduct, where he had set up a table and chairs for the occasion.
As well as the viaduct appeal, the railway is also raising funds towards purchasing the rails, ballast and infrastructure needed to extend the line between its current limits at Prospidnick and Truthall Halt. Last year, a redundant 130-year-old signal box from Wye in Kent was donated to the railway and has been re-erected at Prospidnick.
Responses
Every week I am disappointed to find a lack of positive-minded railway enthusiasts who have won multi millions of pounds on a Lottery. “They” could benefit so many communities, reconnecting lots of closed lines and they could even have newly reconnected lines, in their name. Think of how many £10m projects could be obtained from the odd £150m pot. At the moment, the only person benefitting, is the Chancellor of the Exchequer, receiving Her 20% VAT on purchases.
That would be quite a purchase indeed! I’ve seen many a viaduct torn down! What better than an old Maunsell 30 twin bogy or 257 or 92 squadron running St David’s to Okehampton with the purchase of Meldon Quarry and its viaduct where i would collect ever more rail ballast back in 1960? A small boarding house or pub of local beers? For the steam enthusiast to rest awhile? I think the high viaduct is just a walkway these days? Train folk could explore Okehampton!