In 1879, Helston Railway Company was formed to build a branchline from Gwinear Road (on the main West Cornwall Railway line) to Helston. They had provisional capital of £70,000. Helston was to be the terminal station, with a possibility of extending it towards The Lizard (this never happened due to a lack of funds). On Wednesday 22nd March 1882, the first sod of earth was cut for the railway. Much festivities were arranged for the day with flags displayed throughout the town, trees planted in the streets and triumphal arches were erected in Meneage Street, Wendron Street, Coinagehall Street, Church Street and Cross Street. Many of the shops were closed for the afternoon and children were let off school for the occasion.
On the day of the ceremony, a band left the Bowling Green in Helston at 1pm and then walked through the town. At 2pm, the procession reached the field at the north of the town where the first sod was to be cut from. The Mayor of Helston cut this first piece of the Helston Branchline and the National Anthem was played by the band. A huge party ensued and a vast amount of fireworks were later set off!
On the 9th May 1887, the first train left Helston Station at 9.40am with 50 passengers onboard. The British mainland's most southerly branchline had opened. Similar celebrations to the sod-cutting ceremony were seen, with the day being treated as a public holiday.
To begin with, trains ran 6 or 7 times a day to and from Gwinear Road, stopping at Truthall, Nancegollan and Praze on the way. The journey time was about 30 minutes for the eight and three-quarter mile trip. In the early twentieth century, more trains were added giving about 9 trains each way per day (the first leaving at 6.40am).
Unfortunately, in 1962 the government were advised to get rid of many of the branchlines. On 3rd November 1962, the passenger service stopped, and in October 1964 the freight line was closed too.
Many locals still long for the railway to be reinstated in Helston again, but sheltered housing for older people has been erected on the site of the old station. Many locals can still recall catching the train to Gwinear Road to get to somewhere else in the county. Other locals recall, as children, watching the trains as they arrived and departed at the station.
There is a current initiative to get some of the trackbed cleared, in the hope that one day trains can once again run along some of the original route.
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