Rail Looe Reviews

Ever wondered what the Island of Sodor is really like? Sure, you might be able to get an idea of life if you go to a "Thomas Day" at your local steam railway... but there's a little branch line down in Cornwall which must be the closest you'll get to Sodor on the national rail network.

Departing from platform 3 at Liskeard Station - where according to platform staff 4 waiting passengers is a "hectic day" (well, I suppose it was my first time there so I'd have sent the average up by 33% on my own) - the single carriage diesel plummets down a seemingly endless bank and under the huge mainline viaduct then stops. Then reverses a bit, stops again, the driver walks past the carriage and changes the points manually, gets in the other end and carries on it's merry way!

And what a beautiful journey too - sedately following the Looe River through lush woodland, stopping for no-one to board or disembark at several intermediate halts and stopping for no vehicles at several ungated level crossings en route. Anywhere else in the country, this line would have been history decades ago, however the Liskeard to Looe line survives to eventually reach it's single platform destination.

The carriage was basic but clean enough and definitely big enough for the number of passengers - and I would doubt two modern carriages would make it back up the bank to Liskeard. It would be nice to think that one day, an old chuffer could replace the carriage though....