Toddington update - Chcken Curve slip

Although the official GWSR website hasn't been updated for a few weeks, the permanent way team maintain their own unofficial blog of sorts on flickr:-

Flickr: GWR Permanent Way's Photostream

They are of course being stretched quite hard at the moment having just finished off the loop at Laverton, reconnecting the line at chicken curve as well as maintaining the existing track, and all done by volunteers. I don't know for sure, but I imagine that the completion of the works at chicken curve is dependent on the purchase of the final pieces of track etc, so if you happen to have a spare £50K or so kicking around that you don't know what to do with, and you want to see a speedy resolution to the situation, then please contribute here:-

GWR - Gloucestershire's mainline heritage railway - The landslip appeal: the pressure

Even if you don't have £50K, all donations will be gratefully received..... every little helps!

 

Little bit odd that the news section has had a post on average every 3 days or so, then nothing for several weeks, especially after the AGM, cheque presentations, etc etc? What's up with the contributors?

 

Brief update now on the Glos-Warks website basically stating what is posted here a few posts back by D6969: Contractors tidied up and left, P-Way laying track that has been welded into 120 ft lengths by contractors, and progress will continue once further track materials available from their source. Funds still required to pay the bills.

 

More embankment issues on the updated GWR news page: GWR - Gloucestershire's mainline heritage railway - Rabbits and Relentless Rain cause New Embankment Erosion at Cheltenham

Interesting comments between "Andy" and the chairman. Good to see an updated appeal figure. Looks like the end is within reach.

 

Not that it is any real consolation, but the GWSR is not alone of course in suffering from landslips; it seems most UK roads and railways have had their fair share this year. Locally to me, the line between Grantham and Nottingham has just reopened fully after being severed by a landslip (the 2nd one in the last couple of weeks) near Allington since last Friday.

The GWSR embankment near Cheltenham Race Course is due for further work once Chicken Curve is reconnected but we could do without any more slips!
I agree with brmp201's observations regarding comments between "Andy" and the Chairman! Interesting indeed. I would not wish to take a side but there is no doubt that the internet age tends to make us hungrier for news than ever (remember waiting for the next monthly railway publication?!) especially if we want the outcome to be positive and people are being asked to contribute money. That said, it is easy to criticise especially if you aren't "running the show."

 

Landslip Appeal: Less than £24k to go.
Another update on appeal progress has just been posted on the GWSR website:
GWR - Gloucestershire's mainline heritage railway - Appeal news: less than £24k to go
Great to see that we're nearly there in terms of the amount of money needed. The article also demonstrates the progress made on re-laying track at Chicken Curve which appears to be going well.

Emergency Appeal still open!You can help 'raise the last few £'s of pressure' in the Emergency Appeal in several ways. You can:​

• Donate through the Steam Railway appeal (buy a magazine at one of the station shops!) for which a range of incentives are offered, depending on how much you contribute. Gift Aid applies to these donations if you are a tax payer, enabling your donation to go that bit further thanks to the Chancellor donating some of the income tax you have paid on your donation (See p.18 of latest issue. Incentives include certificates, places on the contributors special and more, see the article in the magazine for further details)
• Donate through the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Trust (GWRT) for which Gift Aid is also applicable if you are a tax payer
• Buy shares - that way, your money goes into the railway's capital which is spent on the infrastructure. Being a shareholder gives you the right to attend the Annual General Meeting and have voting rights - in other words, a say in how the railway is operated and managed. Shares at £1 each are available in units of £50 and depending on how much you invest depends on travel privileges you can enjoy
• Buy £1,000 worth of shares and you qualify as a '300 Club' member and you'll qualify for other benefits including a 'Golden Pass' which will qualify you for unlimited travel on the railway for life. You can use this as a gift, too - many people have bought their shares in the name of a youngster, for instance!

 

Latest update on their website is 11 July so has nothing been happening recently?

There was a suggestion that the line would be re-connected during August - presumably that has not happened?

 

Just had a quick look at the Glos-Warks P-Way flikr photostream, and reading between the lines ( no pun---) I suspect not much has happened at chicken curve, at least at 18th August, the last update, I think they have been waiting for further track materials to become available and delivered to site.

However this is just "armchair" research, so someone in the know needs to provide an update. (even if not much has happened).

 

I'm not speaking for the railway but I think I read/saw somewhere that the track materials for Chicken Curve are stored in an area that requires a Network Rail possession to be able to get at them so they can only be collected when Network Rail has some work to do. The scheduled work which would have given access has been put back by Network Rail so the delivery of the materials is delayed too. I could be talking rubbish but I think it was something like that. Please advise if you know otherwise!

 

Have a look now, sleepers going in across CC from both ends. More to follow on Wednesday, rail due in shortly.

Also track coming out for C&W paint shop extension.

It's been a busy day...........

Nigel

 

So has the railway been re-connected ? When will trains start running between Cheltenham and Toddington?

 

just Idea, it would be nice to see the return of the Christmas Cracker Event as an Re-opening steam gala if everything goes to plan the timing could be perfect.

 

Nigel: Mine and I suppose the other poster's "waiting for materials" posts were trying to counter the "what's happening" comments being made, with the main website news not updated since 11th July--and still hasn't. Just keeps the interest going!

Are you intending to weld the new track across CC into longer lengths?

 

I understand that has not be ruled out however neither have I been told it is happening. Keep an eye on the website nearer the time

 

I will put it top of our christmas list to santa.

 

Yes, we still plan to weld to 120' lengths even though we are now putting in 60' brand new lengths not recovered 30' lengths.

In response to Michaelh, the original post clearly states rail due in shortly, we can't connect up without it!

As of today we are currently 220 sleepers short and 18 panels of rail, we have the sleepers, rail due next week, Todd to CRC running will depend on welding, ballasting, tamping and re-instatement and testing of S&T (and probably simultaneous finishing of Laverton loop......?).

 

As a shareholder in the railway, I'm grateful for this information. Will the website (latest update is still 11 July) be updated now?

 

Many thanks for the update D6969.
The latest images from Chicken Curve are on the GWR Permanent Way's excellent site. The sleeper gap is closing, "just" the rail and the ballast etc now!
See:
Flickr: GWR Permanent Way's Photostream

 

After keeping supporters wonderfully informed thoroughout the appeal, the GWSR seems to have dropped the ball on keeping people informed in the last stretch. Some of us have donated significant amounts of money to the appeal.

I for one feel a little short changed by the lack of information

 

To be fair, Nigel has posted comments into the "Appeal news: Less than £24k to go" news item on the website twice in the last week with updates that have also been posted here. Unfortunately, as far as the website is concerned, these updates aren't as obvious as new news items would be, but Nigel can only do what the website permissions allow.

It's worth checking the PW Dept's Flickr site for updates (see Kinghambranch's post two up for URL). There is usually an update once a week and more often when activity dictates.