Many local people remember a quirky leisure attraction at Crowlas, just outside Penzance, that operated in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This thread brings together the key facts and invites your photos, memories and stories.
Where it was
- Located near Crowlas, just off the A30 east of Penzance. Crowlas is a small village on the way out of Penzance towards Hayle.
Origins —
- The site originally opened in 1977 as Age of Steam — a small railway‑themed leisure park.
- Features included:
- A 10 ¼″ miniature railway with about a mile of track.
- Locomotives (two steamers specially built for the park and two diesel engines).
- Railway museum elements and model railways to explore.
- A boating lake and children’s playground.
Transition to
- In 1982 the park changed hands and was renamed Penwith Pleasure Park.
- Amusement elements were added, including fairground rides and additional attractions.
Closure and Decline
- The park closed around 1984, just about 7 years after it first opened.
- One reason cited locally for its closure was planning problems, reportedly involving Penwith District Council, although the detailed planning history isn’t widely preserved online.
- After closure, most of the equipment and rides were removed.
Aftermath
- By the 1990s, the abandoned site had been occupied for a time by travellers and suffered significant vandalism.
- The buildings were eventually demolished, and the site now lies overgrown and unused.
- The miniature railway locomotives survived and were preserved elsewhere — for example, the steamers now operate at the Royal Victoria Railway near Southampton.
Quick Facts (At a Glance)
- Name(s): Age of Steam; later Penwith Pleasure Park
- Location: Crowlas, near Penzance
- Opened: 1977 as Age of Steam
- Renamed: 1982 (> Penwith Pleasure Park)
- Closed: c.1984
- Features: Miniature railway; museum displays; boating lake; fairground rides
- Current status: Demolished and overgrown
