Finding mechanical signalling in Cornwall has become rather harder since the trio of signal box closures earlier this year (February 2024), with the armless signal posts at Par being a stark reminder of what has sadly been lost.
But less than a mile away there is still the chance to see summer Saturday services passing the semaphores of St Blazey Signal Box while, back on the main line, Liskeard remains one of two outposts of mechanical signalling on Plymouth-Penzance route.
Paying a return visit on Saturday, 24 August 2024 meant a chance to see IET 802006 approaching Middleway Level Crossing with 1A86 from Newquay (11.20) to London Paddington, closely followed by 150244 with 2N04 from Par (12.20) to Newquay.
I had hoped to capture this latter working as it passed down section signal SB36 some way north of the level crossing, but after a pleasant riverside walk on a path running alongside the railway all the way to St Blazey Bridge Level Crossing it was clear that line-side trees would make a decent shot of the signal impossible.
Leaving the now rather depressing station scene at Par behind me, I took a 24-minute ride up to charming Liskeard, where the view of surviving semaphores from the station footbridge never disappoints.
On a day where heavy rain and cloud had given way to some welcome sunshine my three shots here were of the delayed down “Cornish Riviera” (1C76) formed by 9-car 800302, then one of the two Castle sets in Saturday action, with 43186/004 (GW08) forming 2C22 from Exeter St. David’s (12.21) to Penzance.
Finally there was the sight of 5-car IET 802017 passing the famous “gallows” signal LD3 with 2U24 from Penzance (12.50) to Bristol Temple Meads. Along with the Castle HST sets, the 5-car IETs are due to be displaced from local services in the South-West by the former Transport for Wales Class 175 fleet, though it is not clear when this will happen.
RailwayWorld.net 
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