The South West Film and Television Archive (SWFTA) is the regional film archive for the South West of England. Established in 1993, SWFTA's core collection comprises of the combined programme libraries of Westward Television and TSW (Television South West). The archive also cares for a significant number of donated film collections, both amateur and professional, dating back to the early 1900s.
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The Bodmin and Wadebridge Branch Railway Line
The last train to Wadebridge before the station closes to passenger trains
From the collection of:
Overview
The Bodmin Lions Club organises two last trips from Bodmin Road station to Wadebridge on a frosty December morn. A Westward TV news crew joins the club on 17 December 1978 on a diesel train for one final outing. Crowds gather along the route and the Mayor of Wadebridge and the Wadebridge Lions Club greet the last daytrippers. Bodmin Road is today Bodmin Parkway in St Winnow with a Great Western Railway service that links Plymouth with Penzance.
GWR opened a terminus line diverging from the Cornish Main Line in 1887 from Bodmin Road to connect Bodmin with Wadebridge. The Wadebridge Railway station opened in 1834 to transport goods inland. Back in 1859 Bodmin was a prominent town. In 1895 Bodmin and Wadebridge is linked to the London and South Western Railways' North Cornwall line. The line from Bodmin to Wadebridge closed to passengers in 1967 but occasional trips continued until 1978. The 18 miles of disused line forms the famous Camel Trail cycle path giving access to the beautiful Cornish countryside and runs through Wenfordbridge, Bodmin, Wadebridge and Padstow.
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