Colne Valley Railway

Just hope they can raise their part of the money, which the Lottery needs to see happen before they give their share to then, as the last two times they tried to buy the line this was the problem that stopped them acquiring the railway.

 

Does anyone know if the HLF grant was successful, last I heard the grant was reconsidered due to brexit but I think that was a myth. Planning permission was granted on the site for it to expand. http://www.rail.co.uk/rail-news/2016/hope-for-colne-valley-railway/

 

A couple of details here need correction/clarification; there has been no grant of planning permission for extension of the site, or the railway, only the museum, which has hitherto been a small part of the CVR's operation. There was speculation that the delayed decision on the HLF grant was due to the referendum or the earlier local government elections. Both were, indeed, myths!
Latest info from someone involved with the railway: Basically, no further news at present. The application is still being considered by the HLF, who are making repeated requests for further information, but there is no further news on whether the application will be successful and if so, when.

 

Although they do seem to have been granted PP for a 3 road restoration shed and also for a new car park/visitor centre.


Keith

 

That's correct, but it's a bit more complicated! As mentioned earlier in the thread, the site is rather constricted by roads and existing development. The landowner intends to retain the area at the west end of the site, which he hopes to develop for residential or commercial purposes, but which includes the present car park and the area originally planned and partially developed for railway restoration purposes. However, there is a currently unused area at the eastern end, on which the railway now has PP for replacement car parking, a visitor centre and restoration/museum facilities. Under this plan neither the site or the railway will expand, in fact the total area of the CVR's site will actually contract, but more facilities will be possible by means of more intensive utilisation of the existing land.

 

Also a couple of months ago, I was chatting to a guy called mark bott who's involved with 47771 at colne valley.

From what he's said, it's sounding like the group are wanting to rehome the loco. It recently had an ultrasonic axle test (UAT). Haven't heard anything since then but work appears to be continuing behind the scenes. I think their wanting a new home for it as apparently it was vandalised a few years ago.

On the railway side though, what scope if any is there for extending the line? ATM I know it's fairly short but seems to have definite potential.

 

from what I can see on google maps going east would mean buying up houses so a definite no, going west would be easier as the track bed hasn't been built on however there is a busy road directly west of the railway which could be a hassle getting planning permission

 

From knowing the area (from growing up and living in Colchester apart from the past few years) and several visits to the CVR, unfortunately I think any extension is quite unlikely. The site is hemmed in by Castle Hedingham to the east and the A1017 to the West. Looking at old maps it appears the line used to cross over the A road on a bridge, but all traces of that are completely gone today and in fact the modern road seems to be on the same level as the line.

 

The railway needs to reduce the amount of rolling stock on the site. A Class 31 has been sold and that and the 47 mentioned were due to go elsewhere this week, but a problem has arisen, in that weak road bridges in the area have prevented the movement. So far as large locos are concerned, the CVR is currently landlocked.

 

The bridge over the A1017 (then the A604) was removed a very long time ago, in the 1960s if memory serves me correctly. At the same time the road was substantially re-aligned and heightened, so for the railway to cross it from its present formation would be extremely difficult, if not impossible.

 

Flaman - Do you know where 47771 is off to? I know 31255 is now owned by harry needle.

 

I'm afraid I only know that it is definitely going, subject to the current road haulage problem. I shall see the "man who knows", or at least may know, over the weekend and will try to get more info.

 

Is the rolling stock owned by the railway or Australian property developer for lends it to the railway, because otherwise they cannot sell their redundant rolling stock not needed for the line, but I'm sure the Australian wouldn't care as long as the houses were built.

 

Was it not reported that the Australian Property Developer had donated all his stock to the railway? A very generous gesture I though at the time - the two two Pullman cars are probably worth 1/4M for starters.

 

I've posted on facebook about 47771 moving from the line, mark bott who's involved with the group says it's moving to essex somewhere. The only lines I can think of in essex are:

Mangapps
Epping & Ongar
Colne Valley

Are there any others that I might've missed out? Someone commenting on my fbook post said he's heard another railway mentioned other than those listed above.

 

East Anglian Railway Museum (Chappel)? They are the only Essex S/G site not on your list and do not currently have a large diesel.

You can discount Mangapps- one 47 is enough to be going on with- and the EOR also has a serviceable 47 already, so I can't imagine they'd want another, unserviceable one, unless for spares.

But I'm only surmising! There may be another Essex Heritage Railway that has somehow slipped in under the radar. Stranger things have happened.

 

A further update on 47 771; The loco is planned to be moved to Eastleigh for repairs, but no news about its eventual operating destination.

Apparently it requires substantial work which may take some time, but will not be going anywhere until the matter of the weak road bridges is resolved.

 

The railway has been awarded 1.7 million for the purchase or the line and rolling stock aswell as two new buildings. http://www.halsteadgazette.co.uk/ne...n_group_secure_almost___2_million_in_funding/
However if museums and railways in the future get to the point where they are nearly being sold off you cannot always rely on the HLF to get you out of trouble. The clone valley should have never got to that point especially with a private owner and not a public owner such as the local council.