for an excellent story and great pictures. Cant wait for the next part now.
Regards chris

Episode Three
Dennis made it home in time, pleased he'd seen the arrival of the various people but also intrigued as to what the meeting was all about.

At precisely 7-15 Lady Constance Treliver, Chairwoman of Truro Chamber of Commerce called the meeting to order. The small bar room of the Great Western Staff Association building at Port Perran was packed to capacity with invited guests all eager to hear what Lady Constance had to say.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, good evening and welcome", she began, "Some of you will know the reason for this meeting whilst others will only have the vaguest idea. We at Truro Chamber of Commerce are eager to promote the City of Truro as the leading retail centre within Cornwall. To this end, we have been working with many local retailers and business owners in order to fund what we hope will be the largest outdoor  display of Christmas illumination and decoration within the South West. This all in an endeavour to bring more shoppers to the City in the run up to Christmas".    Lady Constance allowed herself a short pause in order that the assembled guests could digest what she had to say. "Furthermore, we have discussed various plans and ideas in order to facilitate better transportation for the local population throughout Cornwall thus enabling them to reach Truro more easily. That is where all of you come in as representatives of local towns and of local transport providers and support organisations. We have representatives from local towns, from British railways, from Autobus operators, from the Cornish Locomotive Preservation Group and the Association for the Promotion of Cornwall's Railways. What we would like to organise is special Christmas Trains and buses into Truro providing a journey with a festive theme. We'll now take a break in the special restaurant car which is parked outside where we can mingle and discuss ideas and suggestions informally. Food to the very finest   standard has been provided by the Cornish Arms. Please do enjoy".
With that everyone adjourned to the carriage, eager to discuss ideas and plans. George Tehidy, deputy regional manager for British Rail (SW) had some very interesting ideas which he wished to discuss in order to promote special trains throughout December.

Quote from: port perran on November 22, 2017, 03:28:45 PM
To this end, we have been working with many local retailers and business owners in order to fund what we hope will be the largest outdoor  display of Christmas illumination and decoration within the South West.

Knowing how much you love electrics/electronics I am just wondering how you'll provide a photo of the finished illuminations, Martin

Quote from: newportnobby on November 22, 2017, 03:51:12 PM

Quote from: port perran on November 22, 2017, 03:28:45 PM
To this end, we have been working with many local retailers and business owners in order to fund what we hope will be the largest outdoor  display of Christmas illumination and decoration within the South West.

Knowing how much you love electrics/electronics I am just wondering how you'll provide a photo of the finished illuminations, Martin

Good point!
However we are just on the preamble. The mystery will be very much related to a train journey in due course.

ooh, murder on the Cornish Christmas Express perhaps, how exciting!

Quote from: Gary Burcombe on November 22, 2017, 06:23:24 PM
ooh, murder on the Cornish Christmas Express perhaps, how exciting!

We shall have to wait and see.

Episode Four

George Tehidy was eager to promote the railway network in North and West Cornwall as many lines were, of course, under severe threat of closure. However, moves were afoot in various circles (not least the efforts emanating from the Cant Cove area) in order to try to  keep the railways running.  He could forsee that making a success of potential Christmas Special workings might well go a long way towards helping to prove the viability of the railway in the long term.
George already had the support of the CLPG and the Association for the Promotion of Cornwall's Railways both organisations being keen to help in any way possible. He knew that both organisations were devoted to the continued success of railways throughout Cornwall.
The banquet, laid on by the Chamber of Commerce, with the invaluable support of local businesses, was a huge success. During the course of the evening, George Tehidy took the opportunity to court support from representatives of Cornwall County Council, the local Urban District Councils, the local Round Table and important representatives of various local businesses.
When the meeting re-convened, back in Harry's Bar, George could allow himself a congratulatory pint of Summer Lightning.  His ideas were welcomed by everyone and he had offers of help and support from all quarters. The Cornwall Christmas Specials, as he hoped the trains would be called were set to become a reality. 
All he had to do now was the small matter of settling the details with his colleagues at BR (many of whom were already on side). By no means an easy task by any means but one which he was confident he could achieve.
With any luck trains could be running in early December.

Episode Five
George Tehidy wasted little time in organising the various special trains. After several hastily convened meetings with senior staff it was agreed that one return train daily would run from selected locations into Truro at peak shopping times. Each train to include a buffet car, selling the usual Christmas Fayre. Trains to run Monday to Friday with a special train on Saturday to include Father Christmas. It was agreed that trains would run to Truro from Wadebridge, Liskeard, Falmouth and Penzance and that coaching stock would be either GW Chocolate and Cream or Southern Green. The CLPG had been approached with a view to utilising some of their preserved but in service locomotives. As a general rule, all trains to be steam hauled whenever possible. The first such trains to commence as from the first Monday in December and run up until and including Christmas Eve.
The publicity department at BR were to ensure maximum publicity working in conjunction with the new local television news offices.   BBC South West agreed to travel n board the very first train from Wadebridge to Truro on Monday December 3rd which was due to depart Wadebridge at 10.45am. Various connecting services from local towns would be duly arranged.

Episode Six
In the two weeks leading up to December 3rd, there was frantic activity not only amongst BR Staff  in the regional office but at all the various supporting organisation. All eager to make the Christmas Special trains throughout Cornwall a success.
Finally, on Monday December 3rd hundreds of people had gathered at Wadebridge station to witness the first of the special trains which would be made up of five carriages including a buffet car. BBC (South West) were there to record the event and the local silver band were present playing all the favourite seasonal carols. The station was especially bedecked with bunting and a 20 foot tall Christmas tree which had been decorated by local schoolchildren.
At 10.15 a specially cleaned 02 tank propelled the stock into the station. This was followed at precisely 10-30 by a Southern Railway T9 restored to full main line working order as part of a collaborative agreement with the CLPG. The T9 would work the train right through to Truro. Many of the passengers on this very first special train were invited guests, dignitaries and supporters of the project but some 100 tickets had been made available to the general public on a first come first served basis. These had sold out within hours on the day they were announced.
Various speeches were made but then finally, at exactly 10-45, Driver Ted Williams eased the train out of the station en-route to its first stop at Trepol Bay.  A series of celebratory  detonators were laid on the track at the end of Wadebridge's Platform One. These exploded loudly, accompanied by a rousing cheer from those on the platforms, as the train gently gathered speed. Ted Williams shouted to his fireman , Dave Rule, "What a celebration mate, ain't seen nothin' like it since Lizzie's Cor'nation  ......tis an 'ansome day, we should 'ave a decent run all the way inta Truro".
Some twenty invited guests we expected to board the train at Trepol Bay.  Sophie Tremaine the somewhat wayward daughter of the local butcher, Alun Tremaine, didn't have a ticket but she was determined to board the train and hitch a free ride into Truro to meet up with her rather unsavoury boyfriend Tommy Weekes...............

Episode Seven
Sophie Tremaine was well known at Trepol Bay for attempting to board trains without a ticket. For her, it wasn't the money, more the thrill of trying to get away with it. And she was very adept at that. Knowing that the special train would attract crowds to the station and that the station staff would be preoccupied, Sophie sensed that she had every chance of getting a free ride to Truro to meet young Tommy Weekes.
You never know, thought Sophie with there being a few toffs on the train I may get the chance to snaffle a wallet or purse. It's not my fault if someone doesn't put their valuables away properly.
At 11.19, the train pulled into a very busy Trepol Bay platform one. Only a few people would be boarding but nonetheless plenty of locals had popped down to the station to witness the special. As at Wadebridge, the local band was playing carols and a Christmas tree had been erected on the platform. Everyone was in jolly mood, and eager to see that the first of the new Christmas Special got off to a good start on its first day.
Sophie had managed to slip past the ticket inspector at the barrier, something at which she was well practised. She knew that with everything else going on the station staff would be rather preoccupied. Spotting the Mayor, with his wife, on the platform edge, Sophie walked over to them as the train came to a halt. She kept close behind them and stepped aboard un-noticed. All was going very much to plan. Being sharp eyed and quick witted, Sophie immediately saw the mayor's wallet sitting proud in his back pocket. It wouldn't be long before it fell to the floor and would be lost. Much better tucked quickly into Sophie's duffel bag well out of harm's way. If it fell to the floor you never know who might get hold of it.
The station porters were soon slamming doors and with a shrill whistle from the guard the train was underway at precisely 11.22. Pictured below, just as it started to gather speed.  Driver Williams and fireman Rule happy that time was being kept to the very minute.
Many pictures were taken of the special at Trepol Bay including this one taken as the train arrived.

Episode Eight
"Next stop Port Perran" shouted Ted Williams to his mate. "We should make good time".
Meanwhile in the carriages everyone was settling down for the journey enjoying free mince pies and mulled wine served from the buffet car. Sophie Tremaine had no ticket of course but she was brazen enough to walk up to the buffet counter for her freebies.  Quick as a flash she noticed that the previous customer had left her purse on the counter. Within a second the purse was safely packed away in Sophie's bag as she made her way back to her position in the vestibule of the rear carriage, right next to the lavatory, just in case she needed to hide from anyone.
Unbeknown to Sophie, and everyone else, she was not the only petty thief aboard. However, Johnny Pettfifer, a notorious Wadebridge car dealer and well known con man had managed to buy himself a ticket, sitting in the very first coach, immediately behind the engine, along with many of the invited guests.

Just found this, and very enjoyable too. Looking foward to episode 9.

For those following this, apologies for the delay in publishing this latest episode.

Episode Nine

Johnny Pettifer (known around Wadebridge simply as "Dodgy John") looked somewhat out of place amongst the invited guests with his trilby at a jaunty angle on his head and his rather cheap gabardine mack coat with flowing belt. Johnny's intentions were perfectly honourable today, he was simply travelling to Truro in order to choose an engagement ring for Alice Downs his "young lady". Johnny fully intended to put his dodgy dealings and petty pilfering behind him in order to settle down to start a family.
The problem for Johnny was that his reputation went before him. Everyone in and around Wadebridge knew that he spelt trouble and was, by and large, he was someone to avoid (unless of course you were in need of a cheap motor!).
Most of the invited guests aboard the first carriage knew Johnny and his reputation and everyone was on their guard. All eyes followed him as he left the carriage to make his way to the buffet..........

Episode Ten
Dodgy John made his way to the buffet where he ordered a bottle of Headland Triple PPP from the rather fetching barmaid Sylvia. John immediately turned on his charm as her ordered his drink, running an admiring eye over Sylvia as she took the bottle from the very bottom shelf.
"Oh, I'm so sorry" said Sylvia "the last customer must have made off with the bottle opener".
"Oh, I'm sure he didn't intend to take it" John replied "But fear not, I have one of these new fangled Swiss Knives which includes a bottle opener. Here, let me open the bottle for you".
Sylvia poured the drink and Dodgy John took a sip or two before heading back to his seat. "I saw that last customer as I came up to the bar. I'll ask him to return the opener right away".
With that two things happened at once. Dodgy John, having returned his knife to his pocket headed away from the buffet and into the vestibule whilst the train, approaching Perran Beach Halt, suddenly, and quite unexpectedly, screeched to a halt.


here the T9 with its train has come to a halt just after crossing Penwinnick Viaduct and running into Perran Beach Halt

Thank you very much, Martin, for episodes nine and 10 of this enjoyable story.

And for the charming photograph; the 'T9' is a lovely locomotive.

Best wishes

John (no relation [I hope] to Dodgy John!)