GWSR Broadway Developments

Jacks might be OK for lifting locos but aren't much use when it comes to lifting dome covers, tanks cabs and a host of other things that frequently need to be lifted on or off locos. That is what the additional use would be!

 

As I said, not really my area!

 

On Wednesday, only 4 more window arches to complete and one door arch, then all done. Not sure if any were done on Saturday, but the bricklaying team normally work Mondays, so they may all be completed by Wednesday (assuming JC is on site). They really look great and credit due to JC, who has done them all. Then 3 layers of corbelling needed, but not sure when this will be done.

 

All the window arches and door arch are now completed - they look brilliant. Corbelling will start as soon as the scaffolding has been raised (shortly), which is also needed for when the station roof is installed later in the year. Scaffold boards delivered Wednesday, which are being placed on the ceiling joists as a walkway to enable further work to be done.

I understand that there will be 4 layers of corbelling, three of which will be done before the roof is put on, and the last one done afterwards.

 

BBC Coverage of GWSR fund raising for extension. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-39614067

 

Not sure if its been posted before, but we have an open evening on Friday 26th May between 6:30pm and 8:30pm.

Come and see the progress made on site, towards the running of the first public train on 30th March 2018. There will be a bar, barbecue and raffle and volunteers to talk to.

Please park at the Childswickham Road car park, due to the limited parking (for blue badge holders} at the Station. There will be a shuttle bus from the car park to the station site. Hope that many supporters will be able to make it.

 

Sounds like an interesting evening, might leave my Architects (hard) hat on after work and pop over!

 

You would be most welcome.

 

The share issue to raise £1,250,000 - Broadway the last mile - closed on 30th April, and I understand the original target was exceeded by about £80,000.

Thanks to everyone who bought shares.

 

From the GWSR Boardroom blog today ,( http://gwrboardroom.blogspot.co.uk/) official confirmation of the amount subscribed:

Saturday, 6 May 2017
GWSR ‘Broadway the last mile’ share issue closes with great success on 30 April 2017!

Dear Supporters of the GWSR,

I am delighted to be able to tell you that, with the final share applications counted and the last donations to the Trust (GWRT) banked, the share issue closed at £1,330,000!

Yes! That’s £80,000 over the £1,250,000 we were seeking!

A huge THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED US!

This extra cash will be very welcome because, as you are aware, the Broadway embankment is going to cost about 4 times what we estimated when publishing the Share Issue Document. But with this extra money and the normal generous support from the Trust we are in good shape to keep our commitment to all our supporters to open to Broadway on 30 March 2018!

You will doubtless be pleased to know that the Broadway embankment remedial work is now in process and likely to last 12 weeks. The successful contractor in our bidding process was George Law Limited who, as you will remember, was the prime contractor for the bridges in 2014 – that seems a very long time ago, so much positive has happened since then!

Meanwhile the Permanent Way team are busy laying track northwards, and the Station group are busy with the many tasks needed to be completed before opening. The heritage station roof being constructed by our own Steam Loco department is nearly completed and ready for trial assembly at Toddington, after which it will be shipped to Broadway where the station building is almost ready to accept it.

These are exciting times and there is no slack in our volunteers’ construction timetables but thanks to your generous support they have the means to get the job done.

Do please use your shareholder ticket vouchers and visit the railway soon.

Finally, we will now go back to HMRC and seek their confirmation that our share issue is, as they advised us at the outset and then rescinded, acceptable for Enterprise Investment Scheme tax relief – watch this space! I am not giving up on this.

All good wishes,

Chris
Chris Bristow

GWSR PLC Finance Director

 

Also some very interesting stuff on the Broadway extension blog today which shows where this essential funding is being used. The embankment renovation is proceeding well it seems.
http://broadwayextensionblog.blogspot.co.uk/

 

The Broadway Station webcam seems to be stuck on one image. either that or the wheelbarrow of mortar is taking an age to be pulled up on to the scaffold...

 

Is that such a bad thing if they are using the railway ? That's precisely what I did on the last NYMR visit, and I believe there concerns re: parking at the Broadway end, So parking points south and taking the train seem advantageous ?, I can imagine the WSR has some similar park and ride traffic patterns to Minehead,

 

When the NYMR extended services to Whitby, it was hoping to tap into a big market from there. The reality is that, although this has happened, it has not been to the extent that was expected. What has happened is that people going for a day trip to Whitby from the south are abandoning their cars in Pickering and combining a trip on the Railway with a day in Whitby rather than driving their. I can see something similar happening when Broadway opens; people will combine a trip on the railway with a visit to Broadway and starting at Cheltenham. I'd be doubtful of a huge amount of traffic originating in Broadway unless good morning weather deteriorates into a wet afternoon and families need to find something to do.

I wonder how the good folks of Pickering feel about this? Their car parks full but the occupants of those cars not spending much, if anything there.

 

It is only the railway's own car park and a private car park that take the strain.
The council owned car parks in the town centre are short stay.

Sawdust.

 

The last couple of times I've been to NYMR its to park and ride at Grosmont or Goathland. Otherwise I might not have gone.
Next year I will be able to Combine Broadway with the GWR, in the past it was one or the other...

 

There's a considerable amount of shuffling equipment and storage sheds around today on site I believe, which may preclude adjustment/repair of the webcam feed. The main reason though is that the volunteers there are mindful that time is not on their side for a March 2018 opening and so they are working so fast that they are approaching the speed of light, when time appears to stand still.
I love Dr Who. (I'm here all week).

 

I have not made it up that far North yet, Sawdust so thanks for the explanation.

 

The 5 containers were moved off platform 1 today. This will allow installation of the rest of the lamp posts and the running in board, inter alia.
Two containers are going on that huge concrete slab in the old horse dock siding, and three on platfrom 2, from whence they will be removed by 'a rail mounted crane' in due course. Hmmmm.
Track laying is on hold while the next 1000m section is stressed and clipped up. That should happen in the middle of next week.
Soil nailing has started and is ongoing. Regrading of the embankment slope has resulted in a fine level surface for a car park below, but sadly we have no planning permission to create one.

 

Once the council realise that the roadsides get cluttered with parked vehicles whilst an otherwise empty space stands idle....................?
Andy