Bodmin Road Clay Dries

[Yan]

Hi folks

 

Does anyone have any information about the Clay Dries that were situated just to the south of Bodmin Road station on the down side of the main line. According to track plans I'll seen, there was rail access via track that continued through the goods shed on, over a separate bridge to the main, across the access road to Lanhydrock House and and on to the Dries. I cannot find any plans of the track at the Dries nor any photos of the Dries when they where in use. So questions I'm hoping people may be able to answer

1. When did these Clay Dries stop producing China clay?
2. What was the track layout at the Dries?
3. Are there any photos available of the Dries when they where in use?
4. When did rail access to the Dries cease?
5. When was the track removed between the goods yard and the Dries?
6. What engines were allowed to run though the goods shed to access the Dries?

In hope and anticipation

 

Cheers

Ian

[MarcD]

I have had a quick look at the the 1907 and 1924 maps and I cant find any clay dries between Bodmin road and Lostwithiel. Are you sure of the location?

 

Marc 

[Yan]

Thanks for taking a look at the old maps Mike.

 

Attached is a print from Google Maps with a track plan of Bodmin Road superimposed. I've also drawn what I think was the track extension to the Clay Dries. In looking at a 1975 OS Map, what might have been the track can be traced. I have a vague memory that I read that the goods shed line track did extend to some Clay Dries and the building I've marked on the attached does look to fit the bill.

 

[Rivercider]

There is a trackless picture of the dries taken in 1988 in the Cornwall Railway Society site, (picture by Maurice Dart)

 

cheers 

[Karhedron]

There is a trackless picture of the dries taken in 1988 in the Cornwall Railway Society site, (picture by Maurice Dart) 

 

Here is the page, just search for the word "dries", it is the only occurrence on the page.

 

http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/lostwithiel-exc-to-sr-germans.html

[Karhedron]

ModelRail Feb 2017 says that the Bodmin Road dries did not close until September 1983 (just 5 years before the photo in the above post). The Dries still look in reasonable condition in the 1988 photo so the date seems plausible although the vegetation on the track bed suggests the rails were probably lifted soon after closure.

 

Bodmin Road was renamed "Bodmin Parkway" on 4 November 1983 so I would hazard a guess the closure of the dries was linked to the rebranding of the station. I am not certain but I believe this was around the time that china clay production was switching from traditional dries to centrifuges. Possibly the output of the Bodmin Road dries was not large enough to justify converting them? This is just rampant speculation on my part.

[Karhedron]

Scratch all of the above. I think that Model Rail are incorrect in this. This mid-70s shot shows that the Goods shed has gone and the tracks that once led through to the dries with it. The goods shed closed in 1968 IIRC so perhaps the dries closed at that time?

 

[Yan]

Many thanks for the replies guys

 

Here is the page, just search for the word "dries", it is the only occurrence on the page.

 

http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/lostwithiel-exc-to-sr-germans.html

 

Some excellent photos on that link. As I'm interested in the 1959-61 period it's good to see confirmation that the goods shed was still in use in 1961.

 

ModelRail Feb 2017 says that the Bodmin Road dries did not close until September 1983 (just 5 years before the photo in the above post). The Dries still look in reasonable condition in the 1988 photo so the date seems plausible although the vegetation on the track bed suggests the rails were probably lifted soon after closure.

 

Bodmin Road was renamed "Bodmin Parkway" on 4 November 1983 so I would hazard a guess the closure of the dries was linked to the rebranding of the station. I am not certain but I believe this was around the time that china clay production was switching from traditional dries to centrifuges. Possibly the output of the Bodmin Road dries was not large enough to justify converting them? This is just rampant speculation on my part.

 

I wonder if your "rampant speculation" might be close to the mark as I believe that ModelRail might be right in stating the Dries closed in 1983. As there is road access to the Dries rail connection could have been lifted many years before. Rail connection might have still existed in 1961 but removed when the goods yard was track was lifted.