Lansalson branch line

The Lansalson branch line (also known as the Trenance valley line) is a railway line built by the Great Western Railway to serve the china clay industry in the Trenance valley near St Austell in Cornwall, UK. The line was authorised by GWR in 1910 and after setbacks due to World War I the line opened in 1920.

The southern end of the 2.5km long branch line left the Cornish Main Line (ex-Cornwall Railway) at Trenance Junction which lies 500 metres west of St Austell railway station. The line travels north and passes Carlyon Farm kiln in the village of Trethowel, just north of this are the Bojea sidings. The line crosses Bodmin road (B3274) then past Lower Ruddle wharf to Boskell sidings which crosses over to the western side of the St Austell or White river. The line terminates at Lansalson wharf in the village of Ruddlemoor.

The line fully closed to traffic in 1968 but in 2005 the railway bed has been converted into a cycle trail (apart from a small section due to a land usage disagreement) from Tremena Gardens in St Austell to the Wheal Martyn china clay country park. The trail is split in two sections called the Wheal Martyn trail and the St Austell Trail, these are two of four trails called the ‘Clay Trails’ built in partnership between Sustrans, Imerys and several other organisations. These cycle trails are centred around the Eden Project and aim to increase the accessibility to the dramatic and unique landscape of the Cornish china clay industry and its history.