Toddington update - Chcken Curve slip

Where did you hear that? She is only in her 9th year this year - so if she is good will be running next year too.

Stephen

 

I think someone told me 7903 was in her last year when I visited the line last November. I'll be pleased if this isn't true.

 

First report on the start of the work. GWR - Gloucestershire's mainline heritage railway - Work starts on Chicken Curve

Top marks for prompt reporting of the activity.

Note there is a link to the ITV News item as well.

 

Very happy that GWSR has started the work on chicken curve. I was worried at one point when I read about the land access issues but im glad its all sorted. credit to everyone at toddington. cant wait to ride the whole length of the line again with 2807 on the front. Just need to close that 170k gap. Keep up the good work!

 

The GWSR hired in a pair of 117 2 car units last year for use on the Northern section. One of these 2 car units belonged to the Plym Valley Railway, and this has since departed. There are currently another 8 DMU vehicles at the railway; Class 122 (55003), Class 117 3 car (51405, 59510, 51363) are owned by Cotswold Diesel Railcar Ltd, are operational and will remain on the railway. The other 117 2 Car brought in last year is likely to move onto pastures new, and the Class 108 2 Car (51950, 52062) which is non-operational is privately owned and for sale.

 

So 1 x Single Car and 1 x 3 Car are likely to remain on the railway?

Not sure that really addresses the issue of few (if any) passengers being carried on the DMU service at the northern end of the line.

 

The DMUs that are owned by Cotswold Diesel Railcar (the owners' group which is made up of GWSR volunteers and members) will stay on the railway. The reason that the group was formed was specifically as a result of the landslip and with the intention of helping the GWSR.

The information about passenger numbers being minimal (or nil) is wrong.

Arguably if the service was being run as a steam operation, say with a Auto Coach, passenger numbers may be higher but this is not the point. The point is, to return to the subject of this thread, that there is a chomping great lump missing out of the trackbed just North of Winchcombe and that the repair requires hard cash.

The DMU operation allows passenger services to be run with a substancially reduced financial outlay than hiring in an Auto Trailer and suitable steam locomotive.

 

Have passenger numbers for the DMU service been published?

 

I say GWSR should hire in didcots railmotor for the toddington section to help raise the last of the money for the slip. It would be a hell of a draw for the line and would definatly pull in more passengers and it is historically accurate too as railmotors did use to run on the line back in the day! Id love to see it running at toddington, it seems a shame it is relegated to occasional use on didcots demonstration line.

 

Wow! The steam railmotor would have massive appeal, not just for enthusiasts but also from the general public who would doubtless find this amazing machine somewhat quirky and novel! However, it is, I believe currently receiving some bodywork repairs, according to the Didcot GWS website and of course it may well be that the cost of hiring it in would outweight the income generated (I don't know - I'm just wondering). However, according to the GWSR website, the Half-Term DMU service has got off to a "Sunny start." I enjoyed my trip last August up to Laverton and back and it appeared to be well patronised. Of course, it will be much better once we can travel from Cheltenham Race Course right through to Toddington, Laverton and Broadway (progress on the station platforms and associated work is really coming on too) but the GWSR has received a real body blow with these landslips and the answer is money and manpower. Perhaps MichaelH just doesn't like DMUs.

 

Just supposing the Railmotor were to be available, would it have sufficient capacity to meet demand (I forget if it can be paired with a driving trailer or not?). If not, wouldn't a GWR auto tank with a pair of trailers be a better bet?

 

I did actually travel on said DMU after travelling from Winchcombe to Cheltenham and return with 2807 last autumn. It was the first time I'd been over the viaduct since the auto-train trips. I used two of my Shareholders tickets for my wife & I and paid for my dog

My wife, my dog and I were the only passengers on the DMU.

 

However - even ignoring the staffing and maintenance costs - although everyone at the GWSR agress that a 14xx and two auto-trailers would be a bigger attraction - I doubt the extra passengers would cover the adiitional running charges (hire of loco, 2 coaches, coal). Without having accurate figures to hand (which would be commercially sensitive anyway) - I would be surprised if you needed less than 10 times the numberof passengers to make a similar profit.

Stephen

 

Fair enough, but IF the above poster is correct, and the DMU carried 2 + dog, AND this is typical then x10 could be achievable.

 

Hello,

my wife and myself went of a Wednesday in September, so very much in the low season. As far as I remember there were significantly more passengers on the DMU service than on the last steam departure from Cheltenham. I think it's save to assume that the DMU service runs profitably, not every departure but in total.

Regards

Christoph

 

I visited on a weekday in mid-August, and there were 20+ on the DMU.

 

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From your post, it might be assumed that your dog could have been the reason for the lack of passengers, especially if it was a Rottweiller!
(I'm sure that wasn't the case but it could be read like that-sorry!)

Our pooch LMW (little miss westie) enjoyed her DMU trip and sat on her towel the entire time.

 

My dog is an extremely well behaved Border Collie who has attended the 2807 AGM (not last year at the pub, though - as I didn't know the set up there - she enjoys visiting the Railwayman's Arms at Bridgnorth)

 

Ah yes, I remember, she was well behaved too! My dog knew there was another dog in the room somewhere but not where! The stationmaster on duty at Winchcombe that day had his Airedale terrier with him and it cried like a baby when it saw LMW and instantly fell in love I think! my apologies, dog thread drift!

 

LMW?

(I'm having to add this as it wouldn't let me post a message of less than 5 characters and it seemed rude to use 2 question marks)