GWSR Broadway Developments

When I come to power I say we head for Cheltenham, makes much more sense! But I've done that to death before...

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Yes indeed, for the beginning at any rate. Ornate (or relatively ornate) buildings can come later. However, a station building may resemble the Palace of Versailles with no positive benefit if young children have to be propelled in their pushchairs over a hilly route in pouring rain. Theme parks,farm parks and the like beckon for the leisure spend.

Railway enthusiasts would do well to recognise that steam railways do not stand alone but are part of the tourist industry and in competition with the rest of it.

PH

 

If people want to go to a railway they will go to a railway.
If people want to go to a theme park they will go to a theme park.
If people want to go to a farm park they will go to a farm park.

How many people do you think change their mind over a desired day out based on car parking? Let's pretend some actually do consider it.....

"Gee, this railway has no parking at that station.....I know, we can drive to the next station that does have a car park and start from there, because we have a car."


Enough already. We are living in the golden age of the preservation railway. Wondrous things are being achieved. Stop with the negative, unconstructive criticism.

 

And the railway enthusiasts reply with one voice: "Thank you for the lecture. It's hard to believe we could have grown our movement to its current state while failing to recognise that we're part of the tourist industry. We'll be sure to take your expert advice on board".

 

Why would we do that when we've got 2 perfectly good large car parks already!?

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The strange blinkered world of some railway enthusiasts. No-one else would build a visitor attraction without parking facilities nearby be they public or privately operated. It's not just parents of pushchair age children who are not being catered for. but the considerable numbers of people whose mobility is a bit restricted but do not meet the toughened up criteria for disabled parking badges.

Still the gricers will remain happy. They can wax sarcastic about those who are astonished that so much attention can be given to the shape of a chimney pot when the station is made difficult of access in this way to a fair number of potential customers.

PH

 

How far away? What are the gradients? Are the footways adequate?

PH

 

Where's the car park at Smallbrook Paul? Not every railway station on a heritage railway needs a big carpark. I'm sure we could spend ages coming up with heritage railway stations that don't have decent car parks, the point is someone on each line there should be, and usually is. You say we should be comparing with other visitor attractions, like national trust. You still do a fair amount of walking when you visit a national trust property, or even at a theme park.

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2 nice big ones at CRC and Toddington, easy access. Good enough to be getting on with, we seem to have coped with those quote well these last few years.

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I think he means the car parks at Toddington and Cheltenham Race Course. The car parks are linked to Broadway (well almost but will be by Easter 2018) by steel rails.

 

Why? - there is nothing there bar a few houses and a fairly occasional mainline train service.

 

If Smallbrook had any kind of road access, it would need a car park. Should the railway get back to St. John's Road it will need (and will have) an adequate car park

What on earth is the point in extending then apart from "extension fever?" Going to Broadway was supposed to tap into a new source of trade. It has always been my point that car and coach passengers could simply motor to Toddington. There goes your new carriage shed Alex.

Paul H

 

Indeed. Our nearest NT property is Tyntesfield. It takes about twenty minutes to walk from the car park to the garden, another twenty minutes to the house itself. It's always packed, and many of the visitors are young families with push-chairs. Of course it might put off some visitors to Tyntesfield, but they could visit the GWSR instead, where their specific needs are catered for by large car parks immediately adjacent to both Cheltenham Racecourse and Toddington stations.

 

We weren't going to Broadway just for another carpark.

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So people can arrive at the railway by.....................railway! Certainly my preferred method.

 

Of course you weren't. Nowadays though, it's as vital as sanitation, despite what the "Ultras" would have us believe.

Paul H

 

Got to disagree Paul - if people have limited time being able to combine a trip on a steam train with going somewhere will generate new business through existing railheads. It is no accident that the majority of the busier lines in the UK 'go somewhere' - they are, you could say, 'More than just a train ride'!

I suspect Broadway has some accommodation but is mainly a day (or part day) trip destination, so what better than parking in a nice big car park at Toddington or Cheltenham and enjoying a steam train ride in order to make that part-day trip to Boardway!

Steven

 

Steven,

I will get back OP

Paul

 

I suspect to begin with at least that most visitors will still start their trip at Toddington as it is easy to find and has plenty of parking and visitors are already used to going there. Racecourse and Winchcombe station are harder to get to unless you know the area. Winchcombe station is not even in Winchcombe, it is in the village of Greet ! I am not sure either that many people will walk into Broadway from the station as it is quite a long walk.

I think everyone understands that once the extension is open that extra facilities such as parking will get added gradually as and when money and resources are available. To be honest we should be grateful that there will be the signal box, 2 platforms, footbridge and station building as it could easily have started with just a basic bus style shelter and a groundframe.

For me the most important thing with parking is that is it free, I hate paying for parking and most times never do so.

 

We seem to be very much of a similar point of view save that for me the carpark (ideally fully surfaced) would come prior to permanent buildings.

Paul H