Cornish heritage line the Bodmin & Wenford Railway will be running a special free shuttle service on Sunday (September 5) to allow people to travel to the finishing line for the first day of the Tour of Britain – where the podium will be in its Bodmin General station car park.

Cornwall will be hosting the modern Tour of Britain for the first time this week, with the first leg on Sunday starting in Penzance and finishing in Bodmin, just outside Bodmin General Station, the heritage line’s town terminus.

To help celebrate the Tour’s visit, Bodmin Town Council is hosting a free to attend Community Festival Weekend. As part of this, the Bodmin & Wenford Railway will be providing a free to use shuttle service between Bodmin General and Bodmin Parkway.

On Saturday, September 4, visitors can enjoy a free diesel locomotive ride between Bodmin General and Bodmin Parkway (kindly sponsored by Bodmin Town Council). Tickets do not have to be booked in advance. However, if visitors wish to enjoy the ride with food, tickets can be booked in advance that include either a bacon roll, cream tea or a pasty and a pint (or non-alcoholic drink).

Trains will depart Bodmin Parkway at 11.00, 12.20, 13.45, 15.00, 16.15, 19.00 and 20.30.

And depart Bodmin General at 10.30, 11.50, 13.15, 14.35, 15.45, 18.30 and 20.00.

On Sunday, race day itself, Bodmin & Wenford Railway is again providing a free shuttle service (kindly sponsored by Buttermilk – plant based choccies and treats) between and Bodmin Parkway and Bodmin General to allow passengers to use mainline train service to Bodmin Parkway and then travel into Bodmin by train as there will be restricted road access and very little car parking available in the town on race day. Tickets for this day cannot be booked in advance.

The Sunday shuttle service will be top and tailed by steam and diesel locomotives. On both the Saturday and Sunday there will only be services to Bodmin Parkway and none to Boscarne Junction.

Trains will depart Bodmin Parkway at 10.30, 11.30, 12.30, 13.30, 14.30, 16.40, 17.40, 18.40, 19.40 and 20.40.

And trains will depart Bodmin General at 10.05, 11.05, 12.05, 13.05, 14.05, 16.15, 17.15, 18.15, 19.15 and 20.15.

(The hour’s gap in afternoon services is because the Tour is expected to end at 15.30).

The Bodmin & Wenford Railway car park will be used by the Tour of Britain on race day itself. The podium will be in the car park and have steam locomotives as the backdrop and the presentation of the day’s awards will be celebrated to the sound of locomotive whistles.

“We are excited to be part of this historic event,” said Nick Wood, Director of Bodmin & Wenford Railway. “Cycling is a very popular sport in Cornwall and our old railway line plays an important part in this popularity.

“It is going to be a very exciting weekend and we have enjoyed working with the Tour of Britain and Bodmin Town Council in these arrangements and for the railway to play its part in making this a memorable day for the town and for Cornwall as a whole.”