Taken May 1922, Marconi's Yacht Elettra/Electra;
this picture shows just how much the harbour has changed.
Station developments
The original timber viaduct suffered the ravages of Mount's Bay seas;
begun in 1850, completed 11th March 1852, opened 25th Agust 1852;
the rails across Eastern Green seafront were set on a timber baulk causeway,
with a timber bridge viaduct 1000 feet long across the front of Chyandour Cove
(which originally had extended much further inland than it presently does,
there having been a stone bridge over the river, about in line with the position of the water trough).
That same year, a fifth of the viaduct was swept away in a severe storm 26th December 1852,
as well as destroying 800 feet of granite walling of the station sea wall.
The viaduct was demolished completely in another storm of January 1869.
Ponsandane yard and sheds date from 1871, and the signal box from around 1901;
The viaduct was rebuilt and opened 1st November 1871.
A granite embankment and breakwall of boulders was completed 24th July 1921, to replace the old structure,
closing off Chyandour from the sea, introducing a twin track,
instead of the original single track (to which we have now been returned);
the granite was a combination from Penryn and Princetown.
The yard at Ponsandane was re-built in 1935 to that which we see now.
Major expansion works were then undertaken to Penzance station in 1937.
Some will notice the break in the wall; this was where the new work commenced,
it was originally planned to have a promenade along this stretch, but it came to nothing, literally.
Yacht ELETTRA built as ROWENSKA
Steamship 2 propeller shafts
Buildt 1904 Ramage and Fergusson Ltd - Leith
67.40m overall length; 60.35m bridge length; 8.38m breadth; 5.18m bridge height; 5m draught.
Triple expansion steam engine 3 cylinder by Ramage and Fergusson; 126.95 nhp; 12 knots.
Twin boilers by Ramage and Fergusson.
232.18 nrt; 632.81 grt
Call Signal letters IBDK
Bought by Marconi in 1919
Later Registered at Genoa 27th October 1921; Real Italian Club Italiano
In 1944, when the ship was owned by the Ministry of Communications at Rome,
she was Requisitioned by Germany, and taken to Diklo, Zadar.
She was discovered, attacked and bombed;
Severely damaged, her remains were later found and have since been presented to a Museum
Raymond Forward
See the picture of this yacht in ludlows albums
