The two most westerly counties in England remain hugely popular for
travellers looking for a break in the UK. Perhaps less well known is the
fact that, against all the odds when faced by the Beeching Axe, a number
of popular destinations can still be reached by today's railway. From
Barnstaple to Gunnislake, Exmouth to Falmouth, John Jackson explores the
variety of lines and stations that remain on the railway map in the
counties of Devon and Cornwall. With much of the area's industry now
consigned to history, there is little remaining freight traffic in the
area. The main exception is the flow of Cornish china clay for export
that is still carried by rail and centred on the area around Par and St
Blazey. The author has spent countless hours chasing these somewhat
elusive workings in recent years. From rolling countryside to seaside
views, these two counties have it all.