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Railway at Steamer's Hill

According to The Book of Hayle by Cyril Noall 1985 ISBN 38009003980296 p114:

The ideal solution to the transport problem was eventually provided by a railway.  In 1834 an Act was passed for constructing a line from Hayle to Tresavean, with branches to Redruth Town, South Crofty, Portreath and Roskea, called the Hayle Railway.  Starting at Hayle Foundry, it first ran along Penpol Terrace and crossed the water at the floodgates by a drawbridge, concerning which some interesting facts came to light in April 1874 when it was replaced by a new swing bridge.  A bridge for foot passengers, horses and mule traffic had existed there from time immemorial, carrying the road from the south side of the harbour to the Phillack - Leland ferry on the north side.  In 1833 an iron structure replaced the existing wooden swing bridge, giving improved communication for pedestrians d carriages.  When the Hayle Railway was constructed, the bridge was conveyed to that company by its owner, Sandys, Vivian & Co subject to the existing public right of way.  It then had to be reconstructed to accommodate the railway, but there was no separation between foot and carriage and railway traffic, and it took an hour to open and close the bridge, during which time traffic accumulated to the great inconvenience of the public.  |After crossing the bridge, the line ran along the northern bank of Copperhouse Creek to Angarrack where, at 'Steamer's Hill', a stationary engine hauled the waggons to the top of a 1-in-10 incline.  There were other inclines on the Portreath branch, at Penponds and at Tresavean

And

Locomotives were at first only employed on the section between the top of Steamer's Hill and Redruth, the waggons being drawn by horses from Hayle to the foot of Angarrack incline, but later, following improvements to their brakes, engines were able to descend the incline and work into Hayle.  Even so, horses continues to be used at Hayle as late as 1961, pulling waggons along the quays, and alongside the main road into Harveys' timber yard

 

Book page

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