The Forest Railroad at Dobwalls.

[45669]

On 08/12/2020 at 07:20, Chris Turnbull said:

Here's some shots of Dobwalls I took when my wife and I visited on 25th June 1980.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris Turnbull

 

 

Splendid pictures Chris.

[45669]

On 08/12/2020 at 07:03, robert17649 said:

We lived in Dobwalls for a few years whilst this  amazing place was open. The Thorburn collection was apparently the largest in the UK at least.

A big part of the problems was simply that during the season Dobwalls was frequently gridlocked or worse still bypassed by busy holiday traffic and people simply got through as fast as they could which was not fast, rarely stopping.

If this railway had been almost anywhere else it would very likely have survived.

 

Like many bits of Cornwall ignored by tourists and the tourist industry Dobwalls hid a fair amount of poverty and was a lot more isolated than it appeared externally. The irony is that more people stop at he village and pub now it has a bypass than did before. Strange as it may seem to those who view Cornwall as a source of second homes and holidays people actually live there on pay rates well below the national average and with highly seasonal employment  not being well able to afford to buy homes in their home county . They are dependent on council  and association rentals . until recently Dobwalls was a hive of such housing ( although we lived there in the 70's and 80's I have only been to the pub twice since we left over 30 years ago). It is still the place you go through or round on the way to somewhere else.

 

Needless to say, I'd never heard of Dobwalls and only went there because I'd heard there was a miniature railway there.  The first time I went I said to my wife "I don't suppose there's much there, so we won't be there long." 

 

They ended up throwing us out at closing time and we were the last to leave!

[kipford]

Very happy memories of going to Dobwall in the early 80's just after we got married. What a set up it was, like a lot of people here we go to Cornwall at least a couple of times a year and so miss being able to take my grandson to see it. The wiki page on it is quite interesting and gives the whereabouts of the locomotives most of which are in Australia.

 

Wiki Linki

[kipford]

Great photographic archive of Dobwalls.

 

More photos

[45669]

There was clearly a lot of interest in the Forest Railroad at Dobwalls, so the second part of the video I shot there in 1989 might also be of interest:

 

 

Further instalments will be published as time permits...

[stewartingram]

Sadly, an attraction I never visited.

Is there a track plan available anywhere?

 

Sewart

[St Enodoc]

10 minutes ago, stewartingram said:

Sadly, an attraction I never visited.

Is there a track plan available anywhere?

 

Sewart

Not a plan as such but this might help:

 

https://live.staticflickr.com/4120/4873616211_483dfdb233_b.jpg

 

Edit: found a better one:

 

https://live.staticflickr.com/4139/4875718818_173e3f3102_h.jpg

Edited January 10, 2021 by St Enodoc

[45669]

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

Not a plan as such but this might help:

 

https://live.staticflickr.com/4120/4873616211_483dfdb233_b.jpg

 

Edit: found a better one:

 

https://live.staticflickr.com/4139/4875718818_173e3f3102_h.jpg

 

It certainly was complicated, but no doubt the engine drivers knew where they were going!

 

[Suzie]

The track plan looks a lot more complicated than it is. There were basically two loops, a 'Union Pacific' and a 'Rio Grande' with two trains running on each loop.

 

It certainly looked impressive and very busy.

[009 micro modeller]

Disappointingly I never got the chance to visit Dobwalls. Before going to Australia the stock briefly operated at Plowmans garden centre in Dorset, later West Parley Miniature Railway (run, I understand, by a local model engineering group with their own stock following the departure of the Dobwalls stock). Dobwalls stock is seen in this video: 

 

Prior to all of this Plowmans had also had a separate railway that operated as part of their Christmas attractions, but according to this article it all closed a couple of years ago: https://www.railwaymagazine.co.uk/5558/plowmans-garden-centre-railways-close-in-dorset/

 

I seem to remember at the time there were also some issues with planning permission, since the new railway would be a tourist attraction, which were seemingly made more complicated by the presence of the Dobwalls collection as that was very obviously linked to a large tourist/visitor site. I’m not sure how the MES avoided these issues but I understand their operation was more low-key than what was planned for the ex-Dobwalls stock.

 

[45669]

The circuit in Dorset looks a bit tame compared with the twists and turns, not to mention the gradients, at Dobwalls.  Pity it didn't last long though - Dorset's somewhat nearer than Australia!

[009 micro modeller]

17 hours ago, 45669 said:

The circuit in Dorset looks a bit tame compared with the twists and turns, not to mention the gradients, at Dobwalls.

 

It might have been more interesting if he’d got permission for landscaping. This article gives a bit more info: https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/3877072.plowmans-in-a-pickle-over-trains/#comments-anchor

 

And, at the risk of going slightly off-topic, this is the Christmas line: 

 

[45669]

Afternoon All,

 

If anyone would like to have a look, I've just put Part Three of my 1989 Forest Railroad video on my YouTube channel.  It has shots of the Union Pacific 4-8-2 QUEEN OF WYOMING and the Denver & Rio Grande 2-8-2 GENERAL PALMER.  There's also a ride round the D&RGWRR circuit behind the 2-8-2.

 

Hope you like it:

 

 

[Re6/6]

Thank you so much for that. It's brought back so many fond memories of a marvellous place also sad ones that it's all gone.

[45669]

On 12/02/2021 at 09:08, Re6/6 said:

Thank you so much for that. It's brought back so many fond memories of a marvellous place also sad ones that it's all gone.

It is a pity that it's no longer there.  It wouldn't be so bad if the locos were still active somewhere else in this country;  it's a bit of a long way to Australia!

Edited February 13, 2021 by 45669
Bad finger day!

[45669]

Afternoon All,

 

The fourth (and final) part of my 1989 Forest Railway video is now on YouTube; hope you like it:

 

 

All four instalments can be seen in the Miniature Railways playlist; click on the icon 1/4 in the top right hand corner:
 

 

TTFN,

 

Ron.

Edited March 6, 2021 by 45669

[Barry Ten]

Apologies for replying to an old thread, but I missed it first time round and was just Googling some links to Dobwalls which brought me right back to RMWeb.

 

I went on a school trip to Dobwalls, probably around 1972. It took me a long time to work out where we had been (all I remembered was the miniature railway and some playground type stuff) but once I'd asked the right questions, someone suggested Dobwalls and it all fitted. At the time I was a pupil at Kea school near Truro. I was a bit disappointed with the trip itself because I thought we were going to a "model" railway not a "miniature" one (I'd already been to Mevagissey) and the amount of time spent going on the train seemed very small compared to the seemingly interminable bus ride there and back. There was just the one circuit then and the ride seemed to be over in about five minutes, although I imagine it was a bit longer. They wouldn't let us go on it a second time! Over the years I looked back on it more fondly and often wondered where it had been and whether it was possible to go back. Unfortunately it had closed by the time I made the connection to Dobwalls, a great shame. My family moved out of Cornwall back to Wales in 1973 and I didn't go back until 2012.

[Halvarras]

19 hours ago, Barry Ten said:

Apologies for replying to an old thread, but I missed it first time round and was just Googling some links to Dobwalls which brought me right back to RMWeb.

 

I went on a school trip to Dobwalls, probably around 1972. It took me a long time to work out where we had been (all I remembered was the miniature railway and some playground type stuff) but once I'd asked the right questions, someone suggested Dobwalls and it all fitted. At the time I was a pupil at Kea school near Truro. I was a bit disappointed with the trip itself because I thought we were going to a "model" railway not a "miniature" one (I'd already been to Mevagissey) and the amount of time spent going on the train seemed very small compared to the seemingly interminable bus ride there and back. There was just the one circuit then and the ride seemed to be over in about five minutes, although I imagine it was a bit longer. They wouldn't let us go on it a second time! Over the years I looked back on it more fondly and often wondered where it had been and whether it was possible to go back. Unfortunately it had closed by the time I made the connection to Dobwalls, a great shame. My family moved out of Cornwall back to Wales in 1973 and I didn't go back until 2012.

 

No need to apologise, that's probably the way most old threads get resurrected (if they're still 'live' of course). 

 

We visited the Dobwalls railway in September 1987, when our sons were aged 6 & 4. We were on a week's holiday at Seaton (the other one, near Looe) and we all thought it was fantastic. I have quite a lot of photos..........somewhere.

 

Believe it or not - I know exactly where Kea school is as I was a pupil there too, 1958-64. I used to walk there from home which was in Halvarras Road, Playing Place* up the hill (so now you know where my username comes from 😉! It's also the name of my layout.) You could see a large part of the 2.25-mile Newham freight branch from the school and during my time there the traction changed from steam to diesel.

 

* Allegedly so named because of a small amphitheatre, I believe I know where it was located but it was just a shallow depression in the corner of a field........ Kea school is still up and running but has gained a considerable number of additional classrooms since my time there, and probably yours too.

[Barry Ten]

17 hours ago, Halvarras said:

 

 

Believe it or not - I know exactly where Kea school is as I was a pupil there too, 1958-64. I used to walk there from home which was in Halvarras Road, Playing Place* up the hill (so now you know where my username comes from 😉! It's also the name of my layout.) You could see a large part of the 2.25-mile Newham freight branch from the school and during my time there the traction changed from steam to diesel.

 

* Allegedly so named because of a small amphitheatre, I believe I know where it was located but it was just a shallow depression in the corner of a field........ Kea school is still up and running but has gained a considerable number of additional classrooms since my time there, and probably yours too.

 

That's delightful. I would have been at Kea School between around 1971 - 73 before we moved back to Wales. We also lived in Playing Place, in a bungalow on Carlyon Road. From our back garden you could see the China Clay works. We'd lived in Truro for a year or two before moving out to Playing Place. I used to walk to and from school along a footpath parallel to the Old Coach Road. I still remember it all vividly.

 

I do remember the railway line visible from the school, although I didn't know what it was. At the time I believed I'd seen a steam engine on it, although I've long since accepted that this was impossible.

 

I've not been back to Playing Place in 50 years but I still remember the Spar, waiting in the car while my mum went inside and hoping she'd come out with an Icebreaker or a Dr Who bar, yummy!

 

 

 

 

Edited July 2, 2023 by Barry Ten

[Halvarras]

14 hours ago, Barry Ten said:

 

That's delightful. I would have been at Kea School between around 1971 - 73 before we moved back to Wales. We also lived in Playing Place, in a bungalow on Carlyon Road. From our back garden you could see the China Clay works. We'd lived in Truro for a year or two before moving out to Playing Place. I used to walk to and from school along a footpath parallel to the Old Coach Road. I still remember it all vividly.

 

I do remember the railway line visible from the school, although I didn't know what it was. At the time I believed I'd seen a steam engine on it, although I've long since accepted that this was impossible.

 

I've not been back to Playing Place in 50 years but I still remember the Spar, waiting in the car while my mum went inside and hoping she'd come out with an Icebreaker or a Dr Who bar, yummy!

 

 

 

 

 

Is that the footpath which ran behind the houses along Old Coach Road and came out at the top of the hill, beyond the end house which was Northey's butchers in my time? I used it too, having walked up Penhalls Way (where we lived from around 1956 until January 1962, during which time my dad had built a bungalow on a plot of land owned by his parents adjoining their house on Halvarras Road). The alleged small amphitheatre was in the field just over the hedge at the Carlyon  Road end of that footpath. During my last couple of years at Kea school I was entrusted with taking outgoing school mail for posting in the Spar shop on the way home, at the time Spar was running a promotion named 'Sparkies', which were pictures of world cars of all ages mounted in red, blue or green plastic discs which could be press-fitted into a vacuum-formed grey plastic steering wheel - they were supposed to be "collect them all!" issued one at a time with purchases but the friendly chap behind the counter would give me a bagful every time I called in, so I had the lot in next to no time with several spares!

 

Now that I'm back in Cornwall I did visit Playing Place in September 2021, other than very occasional quick drive-throughs my first walkabout in 20 years and went for a walk in the woods I used to play in for the first time in 50 years - couldn't find anything I can still remember! Access was behind the youth club/village hall which would have been brand new in your time - it replaced two Nissen huts.

 

Truro yard was remodelled during 1971 and while the work was proceeding freight traffic was diverted to Newham, giving the branch a busy final few months before closure with effect 7th November 1971 - a photo exists of 6356 shunting the congested yard during this time, an example of what you would have seen from Kea school in summer 1971 (as well as those china clay tips in the far distance) - but sadly not into 1972!

 

 

[Barry Ten]

On 03/07/2023 at 03:29, Halvarras said:

 

Is that the footpath which ran behind the houses along Old Coach Road and came out at the top of the hill, beyond the end house which was Northey's butchers in my time? I used it too, having walked up Penhalls Way (where we lived from around 1956 until January 1962, during which time my dad had built a bungalow on a plot of land owned by his parents adjoining their house on Halvarras Road).

 

 

 

It may be - I can see a trace of it on Google Earth, poking in and out of trees - but other than remembering walking down it to/from school, I can't quite remember where it came out at either end.

[melmerby]

If you liked Dobwalls, you should like this one in the USA, with supposedly 37 miles of track.

"Train Mountain Railroad"

Notice it is operated much as a model railroad, complete with freight cars.

 

Google Maps:

https://goo.gl/maps/yoeZzuQgVHRrcKP8A

Edited July 4, 2023 by melmerby

[pH]

2 hours ago, melmerby said:

If you liked Dobwalls, you should like this one in the USA, with supposedly 37 miles of track."Train Mountain Railroad"

I drove past there in 2010, without knowing it was there. We had a road trip to Texas provisionally arranged for Spring 2020, and I was planning to visit that railroad on the way back north - then a certain unexpected pandemic happened! Perhaps some day …

Edited July 5, 2023 by pH

[roundhouse]

3 hours ago, melmerby said:

If you liked Dobwalls, you should like this one in the USA, with supposedly 37 miles of track.

"Train Mountain Railroad"

Notice it is operated much as a model railroad, complete with freight cars.

 

Google Maps:

https://goo.gl/maps/yoeZzuQgVHRrcKP8A

We drove past it some years ago one June but it had temporarily closed around that time.  Would love to ride on it one day.

[Halvarras]

12 hours ago, Barry Ten said:

 

It may be - I can see a trace of it on Google Earth, poking in and out of trees - but other than remembering walking down it to/from school, I can't quite remember where it came out at either end.

 

Inner end access is/was just about opposite where Penhalls Way joins Carlyon Road - from memory there was a granite block 'stile' and I think there was also one at the outer end set back from the road (wish I'd checked it was still open while I was there but never went that far up PW - something to check next time!)

 

Once I had a bike I had no reason to use it. My younger brother also had a bike by then so we both rode to Kea school, although one morning he had 'brake trouble' coming down the hill and collided with the school entrance's right-hand granite gate post - fortunately he got away with just bruises! When I discovered railways my usual route from home to Truro station was down the long hill past the school to Calenick, up the other side across the level crossing on the Newham branch then across the top of Truro to New County Hall on the left, where I turned right into the Old County Hall grounds which provided a convenient short cut to the famous "Black Bridge" over Truro yard. Having witnessed the passing of several Warships and Westerns and a hoped-for Class 47, a Class 08 and/or Class 22 in the yard (and in the autumn of 1967 maybe blue D600 or green D603 - the other three being in South Wales - Hymeks D7029 on the down 'Cornish Riviera' and D7088 in the bay platform.......both on the same day once!) I was faced with the long bike push up the hill from Calenick, past the school and back on the level at Playing Place. Phew! Happy days though 😊