If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

GWSR Broadway Developments

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Breva, Aug 1, 2014.

  1. Kinghambranch

    Kinghambranch Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2006
    Messages:
    1,868
    Likes Received:
    1,588
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    White Rose County
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Weather looks good at Broadway this morning according to the Broadway Station Blog Webcam and the guys already seem to have had the remaining concrete done and dusted before 10am! On the subject of the previous post by steve45110, I regret that I only really remember Malvern Road Shed as it was after closure and then more recently as, what was, Sharpe & Fisher's Builders Merchants depot. The extension on the left was built around WWII I believe but was also as a result of the closure of the old MSWJR shed on the Midland Line in the 1930s after the GWR had absorbed the MSWJR.
    19680000-Malvern Road Shed after closure.jpg
     
    GeoffS75 likes this.
  2. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    10,437
    Likes Received:
    17,937
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cheltenham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I agree, I'd say extension further into Cheltenham would be far more useful than going beyond Broadway. Indeed, after Broadway, after a sensible period of consolidation the plan is to lay track on the last bit of GWSR owned trackbed. Honeybourne is a long physical distance away, with jot a lot of reward if we get there either, so personally, if we do extend further, I think Cheltenham would make more sense.
     
    michaelh and GeoffS75 like this.
  3. western

    western New Member

    Joined:
    May 4, 2015
    Messages:
    12
    Likes Received:
    1
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I am aware of the "current" Travis Perkins site is in Malvern RD.Maybe the next time your in the local you best take a look at the ex Bonella Switches site (& read the banners attached to the fence).Thats near the corner of the junction of P E way & Tewkesbury Rd.

    M R P 45149
     
  4. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2010
    Messages:
    2,158
    Likes Received:
    3,790
    Location:
    Gloucestershire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    The first row of bricks was laid today :). Just a small bit, but it's the first bit!
    Behind is the gents toilet, the floor of which was completed this morning.
    Enough tread plates have now been donated for the SB steps, and they were being painted today, ready for fitting.
     

    Attached Files:

    GeoffS75 likes this.
  5. SpudUk

    SpudUk Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2009
    Messages:
    1,732
    Likes Received:
    593
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Project Manager
    Location:
    Wales
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Oooh, hand't realised how intact the trackbed was from Racecourse to somewhere around Malvern Road/Queens Road, that's tantalizingly do-able, although difficult! That stretch through the Churchill Memorial Garden and across the A4019 would be incredible to watch trains go by on. Only major issue looks like the bowstring bridge.
     
  6. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2010
    Messages:
    2,158
    Likes Received:
    3,790
    Location:
    Gloucestershire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    You can see the exact state of the trackbed on my Flickr site here:
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/73536293@N02/albums/72157632569562864

    This bridge is also a problem, rebuilt as a small pedestrian/cycleway underpass.

    But I have learned that in railway preservation, anything is possible. We have already achieved miracles. Two missing cylinders on Duke of Gloucester, Tornado - a complete new build, the Bluebell's E Grinstead reinstatement through a large tip. Brilliant ! We can do it if we want it hard enough.
     

    Attached Files:

    Sheff likes this.
  7. SpudUk

    SpudUk Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2009
    Messages:
    1,732
    Likes Received:
    593
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Project Manager
    Location:
    Wales
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Solve the bowstring bridge and St. George's Road problem, and you could get all the way to Cheltenham Spa. It's a big ask, but a big reward too, not just for the railway, but for Cheltenham as well.
     
    Adam-Box likes this.
  8. Kempenfelt 82e

    Kempenfelt 82e New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2008
    Messages:
    154
    Likes Received:
    291
    Location:
    Bristol / Priddy
    I suspect even if the problem of a new bridge isn't resolved in the shorter term, a new station close to Tesco's could be very useful? Perhaps with some sort of park and ride facility from Cheltenham Race Course?

    Rescuing the Malvern Road site/enging shed however looks to be more on the verge of wishful thinking I fear! Would love to be proven wrong however!

    Paul
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2016
  9. steve45110

    steve45110 Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2005
    Messages:
    309
    Likes Received:
    45
    Gender:
    Male
    It's only wishful thinking if people decide that. It is in reality just another physical task, like all the others achieved in preservation as listed by Breva above. Huge rubbish tip in a cutting? Shift it. Bridge missing over Midland main line? Put it back. Reservoir over trackbed in Wales? Build a deviation, including blasting new rock cuttings. These and many other achievements, are just stuff that needs to be done. Of course it costs. That is a given, get over it and do the job anyway. Connecting to Cheltenham Lansdowne is a must as well as saving the last GWR Churchward engine shed in Britain.
     
    Sheff likes this.
  10. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    10,437
    Likes Received:
    17,937
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cheltenham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Absolutely. I don't know about the other bridge, but I think the figure bandied around for the bowstring bridge problem is about £1million. Sounds a lot, but when you consider that the rest of the trackbed is in pretty good condition thanks to the council and when you compare it to the estimated £10million needed to get from Broadway to Honeybourne (and I'm not entirely sure if that even includes the track) if we do decide we want to extend further, gong to Cheltenham makes infinitely more sense.
     
  11. ghost

    ghost Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    May 29, 2006
    Messages:
    3,967
    Likes Received:
    5,064
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    N.Ireland
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    While your enthusiasm is admirable, all these works cost money. Lots of it. Unless you've got a secret stash of millions then I suggest you telling people to 'get over it and do the job anyway' is disrespectful to the hardworking volunteers trying to keep the existing line going while extending to Broadway. Perhaps you can explain how can they 'do the job anyway' without substantial amounts of money?


    Keith
     
  12. Kinghambranch

    Kinghambranch Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2006
    Messages:
    1,868
    Likes Received:
    1,588
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    White Rose County
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    The time to do this was in 1976 when the line closed and everything was more or less intact. Sadly, not all Cheltonians shared then, or share now, the vision of a heritage railway line into the town, however much of a good idea it is.
     
  13. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    10,437
    Likes Received:
    17,937
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cheltenham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    You're never going to get everyone happy about it - indeed I have wondered whether the folk in Bishop's Cleeve who sued their estate agent after he told them we'd never get to Bishop's Cleeve still live there watching the trains going past. Perhaps more importantly given land ownership the council are very keen for us to come further into Cheltenham. I just hope the recession wears off and councils are a bit more flush whilst they're still friendly towards us, we can never take it for granted for ever. I'm fairly sure they gave us some money for CRCP2 for example.
     
  14. steve45110

    steve45110 Member

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2005
    Messages:
    309
    Likes Received:
    45
    Gender:
    Male
    A secret stash isn't essential, although obviously welcome. Look at all the other numerous examples around the country. How did they all achieve what they have? Learn from them.
     
  15. ghost

    ghost Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    May 29, 2006
    Messages:
    3,967
    Likes Received:
    5,064
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    N.Ireland
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    [sarcasm mode=on]Well thank you for that remarkable and detailed insight into raising millions of pounds for an extension you haven't planned, on land you don't own. [/sarcasm]


    Keith
     
  16. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    10,437
    Likes Received:
    17,937
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cheltenham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    With money and hard work - we can supply the latter but the former is always more difficult.
     
  17. JMJR1000

    JMJR1000 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2009
    Messages:
    843
    Likes Received:
    698
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cleethorpes
    I think the idea of extending further into Cheltenham (and perhaps saving Malvern Road Shed) would be a great idea and overall the most logical next step for the railway. I had long been a supported of going towards Honeybourne instead, but considering the expense and length of line you'd be reinstating, the actual potential rewards don't really seem all that great. Of course if the line between Honeybourne and Stratford Upon Avon was reopened, then that might change the game somewhat, but the more clear benefits do seem to be weighed more towards Cheltenham direction. Personally I've always believed that if their going to extend that direction, the core aim should be getting to Cheltenham Lansdowne, as I've always believed that it's more than doable. The trackbed is more or less clear, and there does seem to be a decent plot of land adjacent to Cheltenham Lansdowne station, where you could easily fit in a single platform and run round, with the potential added bonus of a link to the national network which tends to be one of the big reasons why people would want the railway to go to Honeybourne anyway.

    Of course, as somebody has just mentioned already, the real problem for the potential plans would be overall local support. The council I think could be persuaded to see the clear benefits, it's just the general public that could be the harder to be reasoned with, though perhaps insisting to them that they'd use welded rails throughout would be a good start...!
     
    flying scotsman123 likes this.
  18. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    10,437
    Likes Received:
    17,937
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cheltenham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Excellent couple of minutes on BBC midlands today from our Marketing day yesterday, including a shot of the railhead at Little Bucklands. available on the iPlayer until 7PM, skip to about 15:38. Very nice of them to mention our upcoming share offer - although I should point out that the £1.25million isn't just for the track, as it implied on the story! It will also be going into rebuilding the station too, and remember, wouldn't it be nice things like GWR fencing only gets done immediately if we reach the target. (although I'm sure that if we don't it'll get done at some point, you can't have your cake and eat it unless you pays your money!) :)
     
  19. nick813

    nick813 Well-Known Member Loco Owner

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2010
    Messages:
    1,503
    Likes Received:
    1,503
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    poole dorset
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    :D:Vulcan:Hello,
    Ah! Those magic words "wouldn't it be nice"!

    old Nick
     
  20. John Stewart

    John Stewart Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2011
    Messages:
    4,206
    Likes Received:
    2,072
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Hilton, Derby
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Going towards Cheltenham is no more use than going towards Honeybourne from Broadway. Either way needs to include a link-up to NR. If, in the fullness of time, you can achieve both it would give you a unique selling point and, in the meantime, achieving just one would demonstrate to the various public bodies that you are capable as well as being serious.
     
    The Dainton Banker and Adam-Box like this.

Share This Page