Broadway Station GWR Roof Fund

I think if anyone here knows anything about fire regulations we would be most grateful if they stepped forward, as even Alan Bielby has said that if the full height brick wall can be avoided it will be.

 

At the risk of introducing some levity into proceedings, the one thing the Trumpton fire brigade never did, of course, was put out a fire. Retrieving the Mayor's hat, painting the town hall clock, posting some bills, demolishing a chimney, rescuing a window cleaner - all in a day's work. But putting out an actual fire - never ...

Tom (nostalgic father of a three year old and a five year old...)

 

Not to mention 2 years' worth of fundraising. When the Chairman says that the difference between a steel framed building with the trusses supporting a canopy and an all-brick building and free standing canopy in more original GWR style is a six figure sum, does he mean £100,000, or £999,000?? Has he considered an appeal to fund this? Or are we to far down the line to make a difference now?

 

We aren't too far down the line, but we are at the 11th hour, to mix metaphors. Mr Bielby has avoided communicating the true import of his design for almost two years. He has too much ownerhip of it having conceived the design with his builder who is a constant presence at Broadway.

It is only now that the foundations are about to be poured that he has communicated the fact to BAG that the GWR station was never going to happen. He had designed it never to happen.

The foundations will determine the location of the steel framework and its spacings. Once it is poured there is no going back.

So two years after it was designed we learn the truth of this. Two years of silence on the part of Mr Bielby that could have been profitably used to fund raise and design an alternative. Now there is little time left.

 

Please clarify. If you are referring to John Crawford, then he is just another volunteer, with skills, that appeared on the scene some 2+ years ago.

You do a disservice to the members of the BAG by suggesting they are unable to read plans. Gord does the Surveying. I'm sure he can read plans. The 'brickies' involved both in the building of CRC2 and Broadway can certainly understand plans. As can the 'chippies'. Why is the current construction format such a surprise (apparently)?

The BAG volunteers number about 60 compared with a total volunteer force of circa 800-1000. For our part (in all departments) we are having to undergo financial restraints in order for Broadway to be completed. We don't resent that. However, when we read that the Signal Box has been equipped with Cast Iron guttering, when suitable plastic equivalents are available, it poses the question as to 'why'? It's not at a height that would be discernibly obvious.

Similarly. The roof has been tiled but the ridge tiles, "which require a scrolled top", have yet to be sourced. Hence the Railway will be paying for the scaffolding for............how long?

It was only today that I learned that during the discussions concerning the building of the Signal Box that there was a resistance to incorporate insulation in the roof of such on the grounds that 'it was not authentic'. Never mind the fact that there would be a subsequent need to recruit and train volunteers to man the position within the colder months.

Don't get wrong. I know and respect many of the BAG volunteers but, it seems, there are a number, a small number, that are insistent upon putting 'Passion before Profit'. They have a 'Passion' to 'Replicate the past' rather than 'Recreate the past'.

 

Definitely agree with this, there are a group who do seem to take it a bit far, and I've always agreed with that; signalmen for instance would rather like insulation in their 'boxes in a cold day. I'd forgotten about that, but I think it came up some months ago. However, these are small details, whereas I do have a degree of sympathy for the canopy, as it does seem like there are possibilities which might not be being explored.

@Breva, now we are beginning to see bnoth sides of the story, perhaps you'd care to comment? You've been rather quiet recently...

 

Ken_R may I first say that in common with all the comments , some 94 and counting, on the Broadway Blog, I have nothing but the greatest admiration for the work the BAG team, heroes all, have completed so far. Especial praise must go to Bill Britton for leading the team so ably and enabling thousands of us blog subscribers to tune in twice every week for another update. His loss and possibly that of the blog is irreplaceable.

Every brick you have laid , every barrow of soil moved, every edging slab positioned, have been silently cheered by your thousands of supporters across the world.

Now no doubt some of you can read plans in a way which we laymen cannot. But, did any of you deduce from the plans submitted in July 2013 that the spacing of the steel supports in the plan view, marked with a T, precluded a GWR type roof. For good.

The good news is that the Mr Bielby has agreed for the BAG team to make proposals for an alternate way forward and this will be considered by the Board.

I hope that the board will also take onboard the strength of feeling show by the Blog comments and on this forum. They may consider enthusiasts a nuisance and that 85% of their passengers are non enthusiasts.

However their future shareholders who will help them raise the near 2 Million Pounds needed for the extension will. I suggest, be enthusiasts to a man and will be less inclined to fund a non heritage project.

 

Hi Flying Scotsman 123, @Breva is away for a few days, I understand and no doubt will respond when he is back

 

That's a glimmer of hope. I regret not having visited the Broadway site during the 3 years I lived only 25 miles away from the railway, but I have followed the BAG's excellent blog, like many others.

I've just been admiring pictures of the Mid Hants' new shelter at Ropley on another thread, which seems to be evoking nothing but praise (I thought it looked pretty good last time I was over at the MHR, even though it wasn't quite finished then.) It's excellent reproduction LSWR, just like Kingscote down side shelter on the Bluebell is excellent reproduction 1880s T.H. Myers LBSCR. The Broadway team is capable of top quality reproduction GWR and that is what a prestigious location like Broadway needs. One can think of some newly-built stations on heritage railways where compromise - sometimes a great deal of compromise - has been necessary. Tunbridge Wells West on the Spa Valley and the Bluebell's East Grinstead station being good examples. However, there are no factors at Broadway that necessitate this sort of compromise, so why not "go for gold" and build the best possible station? If this means the station may cost a bit more and may take a bit longer to complete - even to the point of not being 100% ready when the line reopens - it would be worth it in the long run. Let's face it, the very basic facilities greeting visitors to the Bluebell's East Grinstead station when it opened in April 2013 didn't deter the visitors! I can vouch for that, having travelled over the extension in a pretty crowded train during the first week it was open. No one seemed to mind - it was just so good that the trains were finally running. Given the expectations pinned on Broadway, I would very much anticipate that if any extra cost incurred by adopting the BAG's proposals would be met very quickly from increased revenue if it had not already been covered by members and supporters willing to dip into their pockets.

 

But in many ways, that is the issue isn't it, just how much extra contribution (i.e. extra revenue less extra costs) will the opening to Broadway produce, bearing in mind also that it will almost certainly cannibalise some of the existing demand? If the cost of an "authentic" building is met entirely from donations that are not otherwise available to the railway, it makes it an easier decision for the board, subject to the building regs issue, but to kick it into touch in the hope that the increased cash flow is going to be there (and no doubt there are many competing calls on such cash) may seem a tad reckless to the board.

 

I agree, the extra funding to produce a heritage building should come from the enthusiast community.

 

The signal box will have a stove.

 

My house has central heating, we still had cavity wall insulation installed!

 

Isn't that a good way to get rid of all the embankment tree trimmings instead of starting fires trackside. Certainly sustainable

 

Oh dear this doesn't look good. The Broad way Blog that receives thousands of hits a month has been stripped of all its links and heading pictures of the proposed Broadway. Will it now be closed down?

http://broadwaygwsr.blogspot.co.uk/

It now has 117 comments. Virtually every one decrying the proposed Bielby Building and asking that the BAG be given the time to recreate something more fitting, and promising to provide financial support.

Many postings refer to a feeling that BAG and their many supporters have been deceived since the true implications of the outline design, were hidden up till now, two years after they were submitted. Two years when discussion and fund raising could have led to a more authentic outcome.

 

Oh, that doesn't look good at all...

 

Hello
This is being picked up on Faceache aswell.lot of rumblings!

N

 

A last post on the Blog by Bill Britton to say that the blog will be shut down at 10pm tonight. If any one is unaware at how much anger has been generated amongst contributors and supporters to the Broadway project, then the 100 + comments are recommended reading before they are taken down.

 

Of course Mr Bielby has said that there will be a discussion amongst BAG members and that then might lead to a discussion going on in the steering group, then possibly at board level. So this could be strung out over several weeks.
If I were a chairman who thought he could tough it out, I'd have to have one eye on the level of donations to see if it were falling off a cliff. As there is probably no way GWSR will get to Broadway with or without a complete station just on passenger revenue.
At the end of the day the ball is in Mr Bielbys and the boards court, they have been charged with running the railway, thats not to say anyone has to fund their ambitions.

 

Bill says in his last entry that a new Broadway blog 'the next chapter' has been created so that anyone else from BAG can continue reports,

I can't find it. Has anyone got a link to it please?