A Walk Through Penzance Railway Station, Penzance, Cornwall, United Kingdom

The station was opened by the West Cornwall Railway on 11 March 1852 as the terminus of its line from Redruth. Perhaps prompted by a serious fire in 1876 which destroyed the goods shed the wooden station was replaced by the current buildings in 1879 which were designed by the architect, William Lancaster Owen. The new platforms were used for the first time on 18 November 1879] However, the new station suffered from teething problems, as by 1880 it was reported that some settlement in the masonry and shrinkage of the iron in the roof had caused several sheets of the glazing to break.

Further alterations were made in 1937 and again in 1983 when new a ticket office and buffet were opened.

The blocked-up archway in the wall that retains the hillside behind the platforms was used by the railway as a coal store. Freight traffic, especially the busy fish trade, was handled in the former goods yard, where cars are now parked, adjacent to the bus station. An engine shed was also situated here before being moved to the opposite side of the line near the end of the retaining wall. It has since been replaced by the new Penzance TMD outside the station at Long Rock.

From 1996, South West Trains operated a weekly weekend service from London Waterloo as an extension of its service to Exeter St Davids. This ceased in December 2009.

In 2012/13 the station's roof was refurbished.

Penzance is both the southernmost station on the National Rail network and the westernmost station in England (although not Great Britain as some stations in Scotland are further west. The station, like all others in Cornwall, is operated by Great Western Railway.

Platforms 1, 2 and 3 are within the main train shed; Platform 4 on the south side is in the open air. A large stone at the end of this platform welcomes people to Penzance in both English and Cornish. This side of the station is built on the sea wall near the harbour; the other side is cut into the hillside.