I hopped off at Penmere and watched my train disappear into the distance.
Penmere station is right on the edge of Falmouth town itself. At first glance the station is another faux-retro effort, with the old style running-in board and shelter. I’d seen this combination many times already during my brief time in Cornwall, and frankly it was starting to get a bit repetitive. Then I reached the station car park…
Penmere is lovingly tended to by its associated Friends group, who keep the station tidy and have planted flowers and shrubs in every available hole. The end result is a station where waiting for a train is a genuine pleasure (unless you suffer from hayfever).
The Friends of Penmere have a noticeboard on the platform. They are proud of their work, and justifiably so – compare the overgrown, near-derelict station shown in the 1993 picture below with the present day shots.
Sometimes I wonder if whether people share my love for railways. When I see efforts like this, I feel like I’m not alone. It’s a different kind of love: not for the minutiae of timetables, DMU classes or signalling systems – but we do, I think, share the notion that train travel should be a pleasant, maybe even romantic way to get around.
Bravo, Friends of Penmere Station. I echo the sentiments expressed on this small enamel sign:-
The Station Master 