GWSR Broadway Developments

Well maybe but folk arriving by that means are unlikely to be numerous enough to justify that particular extension. Remember most passengers are "normals" looking for a day out not dedicated railway folk.

 

You are not quite correct. Honeybourne is a much larger place than it was when the BR station reopened in 1981 and reopened again after major refurbishment a few years after the parts of the Oxford-Worcester line were re-doubled. It also has a very large prison (but that's not important right now) and Honeybourne airfield is an industrial estate whilst Long Marston airfield is soon to be a "new village." As is well known, Honeybourne was once 2 villages, Church Honeybourne and the quaintly named Cow Honeybourne. Its now just one larger "Honeybourne". It's still a rail junction but the northern branch serves Long Marston storage area and is not a passenger line. The southern branch to Broadway awaits reconnection and through trains from the Network to Cheltenham Racecourse. I'm very unlikely to live to see that.

Given many of the comments on this thread, I get the feeling that I'm not the only one who seems to be rooting for the GWSR to succeed. Loads of people, even those from the Isle of Wight, seem to want things to be "spot on." There are so many comments that I can only assume that most of the people posting them really want this railway to do well. After all, there are few threads on the Swindon and Cricklade Car Park or the Epping & Ongar Rly or the Northampton & Lamport. Why is this I wonder? (No criticism of said railways, merely an observation).

 

PH has spoken, let's accept his wisdom, but get on with building the extension to Broadway, after all, we are close to completing it!

 

Ok I've not passed through for a year or two but nothing you describe sounds remotely like a tourist attraction - more like a housing estate or two with an adjacent industrial estate?
Through trains to CRC (presumably for the occasional race days) are simply more WIBN given the costs involved.

 

Well one is fairly new whilst the other two are, shall we say,a a little financially stretched. Not right to ask too much of them.

PH

 

"Wisdom" hardly! I reckon though that you need to get the collecting tins out a.s.a.p. in order that the financial return from the extension can be maximized. It's an expensive business for the bottom half of Havenstreet car park cost £60,000 to surface and the the railway already owned the freehold. Part of the cost involved building a hydrocarbon trap to prevent run-off into the adjoining stream and Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Best wishes

PH

 

Indeed, you're absolutely right. The GWSR doesn't even own the trackbed from Broadway to Honeybourne, so it's unlikely to ever happen. I never said Honeybourne was a tourist attraction. The name, however, was positively drooled over by Alexander Armstrong & his sidekick Richard Osman on a "Pointless" programme a few months ago when one of the contestants said that was his home. Honeybourne sounds better than it looks, whereas the village of Upper Slaughter in the Cotswolds looks much better than it sounds!

 

Yes, there is no doubt that the proposed car park site at Broadway (which I remember as allotments many years ago) does need a lot of work and money and there is a small stream running down one side!

 

1) Lots of people have cars, which need somewhere to park, or they drive elsewhere
2) It's quite useful if folk without cars can get somewhere by train or bus, or they'll not be easily able get there
3) The Broadway Extension is one hell of an acheivement, chimneys notwithstanding

I congratulate the G-WR and wish them every good fortune. Nobody start on about Honeybourne until they've had time to draw breath!

 

Connection to the national network.

Noel

 

Overrated IMHO, and we can achieve that going to Cheltenham without lumbering ourselves with 5 extra miles of line to restore and operate if we decide it is important enough.

We know we need to spend lots of money, and we will, but getting it from donations will be a lot harder than it has been for other more exciting things. So we need the company, wise in commercial ways as I'm sure you approve of, to spend it. but we need to get to Broadway to get some more cashflow in. Worth remembering that the Broadway extension will already be more advanced than many others have been when they first opened, but we can't do it all - and we couldn't do the car park before the embankment repairs etc. etc. it all has its place, it *will* get done, just not right now. Everyone I've spoken to on the train (members of the public) are just delighted we're getting there, when I point out such and such won't be finished they aways reply with "the main thing is you've *got* there, the rest will come."

 

Just beware of "The triumph of hope over experience".

Paul H

 

Exactly, and at that time (but not until that time IMHO) the GWSR will move into the 'Premier League' of preserved railways along with such as the SVR, NYMR, Bluebell, KWVR etc.. and also such as the GCR who are working actively to achieve it. (Indeed, given the proximity of the Midland and GCR stations in Loughborough they already have this accolade in my view).
Certainly it won't happen for another decade, and maybe not in my lifetime................

Andy

 

The only "Premier League" that matters is that of financial stability in order to safeguard the future. The rest is just gricer's wimwam.

PH

 

What does this mean? Every extension the GWSR has opened has been successful. Their hopes and their experience are aligned not opposed. Both are saying, 'Go for it!'

 

More ballasting between the platforms today, and more roof work:


60 of the 220 yards have now been ballasted, and the next stretch of 30 yards is being dug out here.
The LH turnout in the distance will be finished off on Saturday, and a start made on the next section of plain track advancing towards the camera.


Our two canopy specialists put in the lower section of panels between the two chimneys this afternoon. So doing they have completed 50% of the forecourt side, the platform side being already completed, and now waiting for the glazing company. Gutters are already in place.
The building is now starting to dry out at last.

Just love that steel laticework. This is what the canopy battle was all about. Specially fabricated replica lamps will be suspended above the platforms. We went to a great deal of trouble to get the design original, with only shadowy examples visible in old photographs. We have had excellent advice, and a very generous sponsor for them - it's not something the company could afford.

 

Hmm.

PH

 

Forgot to mention, I posted an update on the blog:
http://broadwayextensionblog.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/advancing-between-platforms.html

 

That's the second time I've agreed with you this year if memory serves! :O

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

Great update. Love the subtle appeal for a linear scrapyard in the comments section..... it doesn't take some folks long! How are things going in getting PW plans from provisional stage to firmed up timetable?