As we depart Looe station
how was your Looe experience, we just been in Looe, because ... here!
Always in front of my face Geoff!
Which corner is it in? Oh, that
is a bonus video
Vicki Explores ... the Looe Valley Line
we've ridden the whole of the Looe Valley line today
because we're about to do the least used station in ... - Corn. Waaaaall!
which is? - Err, Coombe Junction Halt
Corn. Waaal? - I don't know what i said it like that, sorry Cornwall
So amusingly, this Gentleman here - Timmy
is that same gua rd, when we did all the stations!
the same gentleman he's still here
i'd like to think he's gone and worked other services, since then
you haven't just been going up and down since May, have you?
shall i just give you the camera then?
i've had it all day, dude!
it's your turn to do some work now
right nice, to see you again! see you in another few months time!
- I'll still be here!
When was the last time you let somebody on or off?
Probably you! *laughs*
hang on, so since May, no one else has got or or off?
this is Jonathan, he's super friendly, and he's gonna parp his horn
*LOUD TRAIN HORN NOISE *
Like that!
Welcome to Britain's ... sec ond least used station - Amazing
Did yout grandfather also used to work here? - Yes!
from the other side of my family!
Would you like to take us through, some of the sparse
some of the features of ... here was have a help point!
The next train ... - Let's find out!
*Your call is being connected* * PLEASE WAIT*
your call is being connected, Vicki *PLEASE WAIT* How do you feel about that?
The next train should be tomorrow - Really?. Yeah.
That was the last departure until tomorrow
*PLEASE WAIT*
I'm waiting ...
*PLEASE WAIT*
We have, the timetable So - Looe to Liskeard
Where are we, Coombe Junction Halt?
This was the tran we just got off, the 15:22
Nothing, nothing, nothing ...
Nothing! For the rest of the day. Saturday?
Half nine ... (crashing sound in background) What's that noise?
some sort of factory next door
Half nine, ten fifty-two, nothing nothing nothing nothing
*PLEASE WAIT*
There's a phone
Without a receiver!
it's hanging off the phone, that ain't working is it?
that's really not working
There's a squirrel somewhere! in a tree, with a receiver
There's no windows!
Someone's written 'Strong and Stable'
are they suggested that the train service is strong and stable, or that the phone
which is clearly out of operation is strong and stable?
what do you think it refers to?
I think it refers to the stability of this shelter!
Vicki's measuring the platform in Vicki feet
this is a new thing we do here on Least Used Stations
and whilst Vicki is measuring it
a little bit of history, just whilst we're here and that's that the line originally
wasn't here, it was a canal Cornwall famous for tin and copper mines
and the line actually goes up in that direction today it goes to a cement factory
but in the 1860's there was a canal
that got replaced by a railway
the railway was actually built by the canal company
passengers service didn't start until about twenty years later
and it wasn't until 1901 that this incredible curve
which, we err don't get to see today
sorry, i was suddently aware that Vicki was ...
how many? - 106 then a bit
106 and a bit, so then the curve
the reason why that exists is because
that came a lot later so they could link this little branch line
to the rest, of the railway
do you want to wander up and go and see the viaduct?
yeah! let's do that
i like that you can walk along the trackside there - well let's do that as well
* PLEASE WAIT *
there is by the way, there's a link in the description
for least used station videos
a spreadsheet, that marks facilities
but i just want to say for the record, there's no DMI - Nope!
No permit to travel - No ticket machine
there is a bench, and waiting shelter
and telephone that doesn't work, and an information point
but there's no shop, there's no local ameneties
not even a bike rack, sometimes you just get
like, a single bike rack
this might be ... a very, low scoring least used station
even Shippea Hill had a bike rack
didn't it?
They have plants!
* GATE CLANGS *
we've come down to the crossing
there's a yellow telephone
but it's ... you only have to phone if you're
a vehicle or an animal, do you have a vehicle or animal with you Vicki?
- no! so we can probably just go across
there's penalty of £1000 for not closing the gate as well
shall i cross?
* PLEASE WAIT *
I'm waiting
Ok, this might not work
exposure! we could be sihoutted right now
but if you lean foward
there's less change of us being silhoutted
we want to do passengers numbers - yes
i'll test you actually, so how many was Shippea Hill?
12? - 12, is Shippea Hill's number
what is .. the 2015/16 ORR (link in the description) period
what is Coombe Junction Halt
48! - divide that by 365, is ...
yeah, is .. point one three passengers - point one three? - a day
a tenth and a bit of a passenger a day
and because we bought rail rovers, we didn't even have, we won't
oohh, we won't add to it!
not unless, when we get to Liskeard
we buy a single for Coombe Junction tomorrow, do you want to do that?
yes! Ok. but we are going to speak to a lovely man called Alan
hello Alan!
and he's actually trying to make .. Coombe Junction NOT
one of these least used stations by getting a load of people to
travel here, that coming up in a bit!
but do you want to go and see the amazing viaduct first? - Yes!
ok, are you down with Coombe Halt. have you taken all the pictures and stuff?
yes! - Ok
just as we're walking back
we remembered something
the train's gone up to Liskeard
and it's come back
down ... but this time, it doesn't stop
at Coombe, he stops
we just walked back from the ground frame
so i'm just .. running back to the ground frame
because the trains just pulled in!
so he's set the ground frame, and
then driver will go forward again
and the guard will hop on
once he's set the points back
and then the guard will jump on
i'm gonna focus on the points
he's in that little hut, about to set the points
watch the points!
*PLEASE WAIT*
I'm waiting ...
the viaduct!
and theeeeeeere's, the viaduct
and can you see in the distance
like, there
is the line there, that goes down to the cement factory
and then that is mainline
so i think Penzance is ...
that way
and Plymouth is that way
trains all go across that viaduct
pretty cool right?
- It is cool
by the way, we've now got to walk all the way back down that path
to get back to the exit!
we'll get a taxi to Liskeard, i'm not walking up the hill
you've walked up enough hills today, haven't you? - I just got stung as well
we're on the train home
we've had a lovely day out on the Liskeard / Looe branch
but before we're done, we've met up with a man called Alan, hello Alan!
now we met you before, on ... All The Stations
where did we meet you? - At Okehampton
So what happened, we met him on the Okehampton day
but later on, followed our journey, saw us at Shippea Hill
saw what we did with the flash mob
and you decided to do a similar thing at Coombe
so what is it you've now done at Coombe Junction station?
- We have a walking group, called - ? - in Plymouth
and we organised a day with them on the train from Plymouth
down to Coombe
we got off at Liskeard, walked down the hill
as you do! and then ...
all put our hands out, stopped the train, when he came into the junction
so there's a brilliant photo, of you and how many people?
i think there's about 10-12 of us
so you've boosted the passengers numbers at Coombe Junction station
and this is a monthly event?
it's not monrhtly, but we are looking to do it on a regular basis
if we can get people who are interested
but it's for ramblers, it's for walkers, you all meet you take the train somewhere
we meet it Plymouth - ah sorry!
and we end up at Coombe!
right, so we're going to put your Facebook group on screen
or in the description
but ... why did you choose Coombe?
because, it's the least used station in Cornwall!
and it needs our support - But not anymore!
well, it still needs our support
right you think because of what you've done it may now not be the least used station in Cornwall
so which station is going to get the new title? - it's probably going to be St Keyne Wishing Well Halt
so the one before
it'll that'll be, will leapfrog it, ok, wow
and then we'll start going to St Keyne!
just look at the camera Alan, why should people go to Coombe Junction and join your group?
because it's a pretty station in Cornwall!
Thanks very much!
so we've just spent about 4 hours on the journey home
dispensing Railcard advice
to all the nice people around us, thanks very much! that was Coombe and Liskeard and Looe
i've got my hat on now! - you have got your hat on now
and we've met a girl called Maggie - say hi Maggie - hello!
just a random person we met on the train
we met this man too! - Hiya!
see ya later! bye