THE first train driver to take passengers deep underground into the George and Charlotte copper mine will return to Morwellham Quay on August 10, along with some of the train?s other drivers, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this unique 40-minute journey into the area?s mining heritage.
25 years ago, on August 5, 1978, the first two passengers climbed aboard the train driven by Alec Friendship from Calstock.
The train meandered along the bank of the River Tamar for a few hundred metres before diving deep underground on a trip back in time into the heart of a copper mine which had stood idle for almost 100 years.
The passengers enjoyed a series of tableaux and a son et lumiere show which revealed the terrible hardship suffered by the miners.
George and Charlotte had last been worked in 1869, so during the 12 months prior to re-opening, engineer Bob Le Marchant and his team had been hard at work laying the track and widening the level that the railway was to follow - originally the mine?s deep adit.
Today, as preparations get underway to celebrate the mine?s 25th anniversary, Bob is still mine manager at Morwellham and original driver Alec Friendship still works on the Tamar ? although these days he pilots the M L Gloria on the River Tamar between Calstock and Morwellham.
?With the upsurge in interest in the South West mining heritage created by the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site bid, George and Charlotte is set to take on a whole new lease of life as it becomes a centre for interpretation of the Eastern part of the bid,? said Anthony Power, education and marketing manager at Morwellham Quay.
?So the toast on Sunday has to be ?Here?s to the next 25 years,?? he said.
Even if people are unable to get along to Morwellham to join the celebrations on August 10 the George and Charlotte mine can be visited at any time of the year to experience two centuries of mining history in the South West captured in a ride through the mine.