Penmere Platform Garden - "Pendennis"

Image: © Tom Jolliffe Taken: 4 Jul 2011

This piece of decorative art sits in the Penmere station garden. I do not know what "Pendennis" was. There is, I suppose, a genre of railway garden design which evolved naturally over time, entwined with the pride that used to exist within station masters in days long gone. Traces of this can still be found in some stations, though it seems to be very much on the wane. Here, the tradition has been revived b y a group of enthusiasts. One may see it as somewhat kitsch, perhaps too sentimental or nostalgic, but it makes a pleasant change from the corporate "badging" that we are so accustomed to. The days that this artefact alludes to were better days for passengers. At Truro Station it's not possible to get on the platform without a ticket, or to get off it, under penalty of a £1000 fine. Doesn't matter if you want to see off your relatives. The turnstiles are staffed by two human beings who could just as easily look at your ticket as watch you fumbling to find it and insert it only to find that it's in the wrong way round or some other reason, but when this becomes apparent with a queue building behind you then the nice staff intervene and wave the magic wand. That's progress (and profit making) for you. Please see Image] for the facts on Penmere.

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