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GWSR Broadway Developments

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

  1. jtx

    jtx Well-Known Member

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    From where I'm sitting, I don't think the GWSR have anything to prove, or to demonstrate to anyone that they are both capable and serious.

    I'm a 45 - year Severn Valley man and I love what they've done with their place.
     
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  2. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    A windy day faced the Monday gang today, and overnight several of the doors recently erected had blown down again. The first job then was to put them back up.
    Given the Easter hols, it was a small gang of just 5 today, but with 3 activities:

    - Keith got the strimmer out and attacked the bramble regrowth in the Malvern side northern cutting.

    - Your truly had a day long session cutting bricks in half with a rented powered saw - see picture. These are the architectural bricks that will decorate the edges of the doors and windows. Others will form a 'rope' over the arch. As modern regulations require a cavity wall and the original GWR wall was two rows of bricks in headers and stretches, we will use half bricks to simulate the headers. Further brick cutting sessions are still required, to convert a pallet of plain bricks to half bricks. 70 'Queen closures' were also cut for the plinth in engineering blues.

    - Speaking of the plinth, a first row of blues is almost all the way round the building now, and backed up. Just half the cafe still to go. Today's job here was to put down the damp course, and we did about two thirds of that. One more day should see this ready for signing off by the inspector. (picture)

    The signal box was looking splendid in the occasional flashes on sunshine we had. There are now two lamp posts with tops on, on the southern side. The pattern for the replica posts will be ready in 3weeks, and then we can order a first lot of 10. If anyone wants to join in this order, privately for a garden, or for their railway project, then send me a pm. If you join in, it will help us set off the cost of the pattern.

    Two members are hatching a plan to have replica brass lever leads made for the signal box levers. These are the shiny plates that tell the signalman what the lever does. In later years they were replaced with cheaper materials, but a row of shiny plates, reflected in the setting sun, would look magnificient in the box. I would make an appeal for someone to join in, but all fund raising efforts must now be dedicated to our 'Last Mile' £1.25m share issue, which launched a few days ago. If you are reading this, you must be interested in the Broadway project, so please help by buying shares as well. You can get an application form off the website, although the prospectus is now available - an email suffices for one to be mailed to you. If you are a tax payer, you can get some of your money back via the EIS scheme too - it worked for me.

    To be ready for the official launch on April 6th, and attempt will be made to lift the footbridge centre span on to the new towers, weather and wind permitting. Prior to this, a smaller crane will lift in the roof hoops for the tower tops, and those along the span. (picture). The heavy wooden floor boards will also be fitted, anything to avoid a further heavy lift in the future. Any work on the footbridge steps is deferred until after the result of the share appeal is known. The amount of £1.25m is for the m i n i m u m required to get us to Broadway, and does not include luxuries such as footbridge steps, or the platform 2 waiting room and canopy. Clearly the greater the success of the share issue, the higher the confidence to spend a little more on heritage.
     

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  3. JMJR1000

    JMJR1000 Member

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    Forgive me for being so bold or ignorant as to ask this... but wouldn't footsteps in which to actually use the footbridge be considered more of a necessity then luxury/heritage?

    Liking the great progress being made so far though, keep up the good work. :)
     
  4. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    The steps are only needed to reach platform 2, which will be completed in a secondary stage, if enough money comes in. The important thing at this stage was to get the centre span up, as once the rails are down you can no longer get a crane in. Hope that makes sense.
     
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  5. jtx

    jtx Well-Known Member

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    I went to visit a couple of days back. Great stuff. The SB already looks like it has been there for a very long time.
    The S&T dept must love you lot!

    Regards,

    Jphn
     
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  6. 46118

    46118 Part of the furniture

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    Breva, as ever, thanks for the updates. I only wish other Heritage lines were as forthcoming as you are at passing on day-to-day happenings.

    Just as a matter of interest do you happen to know what the weight of the footbridge span is? I guess the size of the crane will give some indication.

    46118
     
  7. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Don't think it's been mentioned yet, but the share offer is OPEN. The official launch is next Wednesday, but I heard that the first couple of Foremarke Hall models have gone already, and that was a few days ago! Share issue document can be found here, and, if nothing else, is worth a look purely for the aerial photos taken a while ago!
     
  8. mikechant

    mikechant Member

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    I note the prospectus mentions Tata Steel as giving the estimate for new rail. If you read the news, you'll know why this might be a problem... I wonder if obtaining a relatively small amount of rail from overseas would be a lot more expensive than obtaining it locally?
    Anyhow, not wishing to be negative, I'm sure this issue can be resolved.
     
  9. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    I was wondering that too, I will try and find out tomorrow, unless anyone else knows otherwise.
     
  10. 2mm Andy

    2mm Andy New Member

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    The Long Products part of Tata (which produces rail) has been in the process of being sold from some time, so the current problems with the rest of Tata may not be totally relevant.

    http://www.theguardian.com/business...-sale-long-products-business-investment-group

    Andy
     
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  11. mikechant

    mikechant Member

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  12. ianh

    ianh Member

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    Well something happened today if only that the Web cam crashed or was overloaded by the demand.....
     
  13. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    I'm not surprised, the footbridge span went into place! News reached Toddy around Lunchtime, I haven't seen it but apparently all went to plan. No doubt photos will be forthcoming soon. All in time for tomorrow's share offer event.
     
  14. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    The webcam was relocated, as something is now in the way ;-)
    More news after the share offer event.
     
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  15. 46118

    46118 Part of the furniture

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    I suspect the webcam is just "dangling" at present! Currently on its side looking across to the other platform and a couple of tree trunks.

    Hope the footbridge craning went well.

    Edit/update:

    Webcam now trained on the station building. Thanks!
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2016
  16. GeoffS75

    GeoffS75 Member

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    Drove past earlier and the footbridge looks very impressive in the afternoon sun, well done to all concerned in achieving another milestone at Broadway :)
     
  17. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    News embargo now lifted - the footbridge centre span is up! It looks brilliant, in its two tone light and dark stone.
    On Monday the centre span and two towers were kitted out with the roof hoops, the floor has been laid in, and the new smoke deflectors were fitted.
    On Tuesday, a large crane lifted the 11 ton centre span from its platform 2 location (for repair and painting) and placed it on platform 1. The crane then relocated, and it was lifted further along to outside the cabin. The crane then relocated a second time, and after lunch the whole span, with its hoops on, was majestically lifted into the space between the towers. It does not rest on the towers, but hangs in between them, so the towers had to be slightly apart, and were then pulled together, standing loosely on the bolts to which the feet are attached. The whole lot was then bolted together at the top, uniting towers and centre span.
    The security camera was then relocated to one of the smoke deflectors - hope it works now. I know you need it :)
    Further work will be done on the purlins, and, if I am not mistaken, the corrugated iron roof will be fitted. That is as far as our money takes us. There is no money for the staircases, unless the share issue just launched is oversubscribed. The main reason for erecting the footbridge was to get the centre span up and out of the way of the track, while the crane could still use the empty trackbed. Platform 2 will remain undeveloped until more money is found, so from an operational point of view the footbridge is not yet needed for the reopening day.
    That isn't all we did of course. The S&T dept has started work on the locking mechanism, a slow job as there are 45 levers in all. 25 will be used on the initial track layout (now simplified, again because of lack of funds) and 39 will be in use once the full layout is in place. S&T also brought a GWR 3 door locker, a train register lectern, and - a kettle. Well of course. Usually the first item of furniture in a new box is the comfy chair...

    Brick laying resumed today, and the progress achieved is that the end wall by the kitchen now has its 4 rows of blues above damp course level, ready for the plinths. Some of these, esp the ones on the SW corner, were actually laid today. Above this level, the bricks will be weathered red, as in the signal box. Once we have laid all the blues round the whole building, which is a respectable 37m long.

    Finally, as you may know, today saw the formal event launching the new EIS share issue for £1.25m. I have sent my cheque, so please send yours, or a lot of this can't happen - we are dependent on the general public. HMRC will reimburse you a friendly 30%, so it's quite fun.
     

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  18. Kinghambranch

    Kinghambranch Well-Known Member

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    We know what we need to do now don't we ladies and gentlemen?
    Let's get the money in and get this superb job finished.
     
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  19. Ken_R

    Ken_R Member

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    Did the water supply ever get piped into the Signal Box? Also, best to get a standpipe supply outlet in the 6 foot somewhere towards the Barrow Crossing. I've seen at Winchcombe where flushed 'deposits' have landed neatly on the foot crossing and a hosepipe needed to remove same.:(

    From memory, Terry and Rod know roughly where to dig for the connection that was taken off for the Southern end of Platform 1 supply cabinet.;)
     
  20. nick813

    nick813 Well-Known Member Loco Owner

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    Hello,
    'flushed deposits' .......that a new phrase, must see if I can incorporate it in to every day speeches.....as in
    "Oh ****!"


    Nick
     
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