Oswestry Update

The weather this week has not been kind so there has not been much digging at the crossing. The newly cleared drains in the station were given a good test and track work continues on the extension. Colin even took some video.
Some say that he used the excuse to keep out of the rain or that his video camera is made of tissue paper....
All we know is he is called Cambrian HR Volunteer...

Details on the blog.
http://ilvaporista.blogspot.com/

 

What condition of the drains have you found them to be in? have they required much work, or jist been emptying years worth of sludge

 

I think it's best to say we have found just about everything in the drains and their condition is varied too. The station drains have crumbled brick work, ballast and the odd signal part mixed in with dirt and plant growth. Generally they are in good condition once the blockages are removed but some parts require remedial action.
There are still more drains to clear through the centre of the station, not the most glamorous of jobs but we keep plodding on.

 

After a few days work the drains at the crossing are now in place and buried. With good weather by the end of July we should have the crossing in place.

Details on the blog.
http://ilvaporista.blogspot.com/

 

Sorry for no updates so far this week. We are not idle and we are going forward. When monies from public funds and grants are involved there are certain rules about timing and information flow that have to be respected.
Lots of behind-the-scenes work is going on and we hope this will lead to more good news soon.

 

Ive been to llangollen railway in N, wales and donated money to the grange bretton grange rebuild. I would come down to gobowen jct and have a look for myself and would like to contribute £100+ to your project at owestry i come from west yorks so i could come through via manchester picc and down to gobowen from huddersfield. How long is the ride on your railway and what dates does the owestry line run trains IvaPorista?
Davo 56F

 

Thanks Davo. What a spectacular offer. I will post about visiting when I get back from a short trip to Foligno shed and the opening if a private miniature railway here in Italy.
Hopefully by August the line may be extended and the run about 1 mile south from Oswestry. Trains also run on the bit from Llnyclys southwards.

 

Are the 2 cambrian lines at weston and llnyclys going to eventually be connected after a halt is built at weston and possibly north to gobowen the long term plan for the cambrian railway society. Wales lost so many G.W.R. lines under dr beechings axe, heres a great possibiliy this 1 could be reopened with volunteer gangers and plenty of fund raising as the months go by.
Davo 56f

 

The intention is to link up all sites, being honest it will take many years as large full grants to restore heritage railways are a thing of the past.
Each little step will take time.
I am back home tomorrow night so I will be able to reply with more information.

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/441838685877708
Tanat could also feature eventually

 

With the summer coming up, although it rained all day yesterday, it is a good time to answer Davo's questions about visiting.

Operating dates are on the website.

http://www.cambrianrailways.com/html/calendar.html

Both sites offer a short train ride of around 3/4 mile. Steam operates at Oswestry with our Barclay 2261. The service at Llynclys is by diesel loco or railcar.

If you come by train the closest station is Gobowen on the Shrewsbury Chester line. There are buses to Oswestry, I think that the bus stop is by the Coop but it is almost 40 years since I last took the bus to Oswestry!
The bus station is next to Oswestry station.
At Oswestry there is the museum which has a great number of artefacts and is open during the week as per the details on this page.
http://www.cambrianrailways.com/html/museum.html
I do not know of the public transport links between sites but will find out.
Work on the extension can be viewed from the footpath which runs alongside the track from the foot crossing to the propped gasworks bridge. At the bridge cross over the road and continue south, take the first road on the right and you will see the Travis Perkins builder's merchant. The accommodation crossing is basically in the middle of their yard. That is the point where the two current bits of the extension meet.
Both sites have catering on operating days. Oswestry station has Buffers which is run by Jenny the Company Secretary and has cakes which are addictive. Buffers is open during the week as well.
Talk to any of the volunteers and they will tell you about work going on and if possible will show you around.
Please remember that we are a still growing organisation almost like the early days of many now well established heritage railways.
All progress is funded by revenue from trains, membership fees, donations and grants.
There are long term plans to link up all sites but this will take time and money. We are working on many fronts with our limited resources but real progress is now being made. The first objective is the line to a new station at Weston Wharf.
Have a good visit.

 

Work continues at the accommodation crossing preparing for track laying.

Details on the blog.
http://ilvaporista.blogspot.com/

 

Works trains are now operating beyond the bridge as we bring the track up to passenger carrying standards.

The jacker packer has been seen on the extension as it moves towards operational condition.

There will be more work soon at the crossing as we join together the two sections of track.



Details on the blog.
http://ilvaporista.blogspot.com/

 

Lots of preparatory work going on. There are more working days this week as we look to lay in the accommodation crossing, weather permitting.

Plus the Oswestry Food and Drink Festival is taking place this weekend. Bring the family for a full day out.

Details on the blog.
http://ilvaporista.blogspot.com/

 

Tuesday the last two full panels of track next to the crossing were laid. That just leaves the half panel to the north and the crossing itself to lay. That's the target for the next few days.

 

Not quite the working week we were expecting. Due to a last minute technical hitch it was not possible to lay the crossing. However the good news is that passenger trains ran for the first time since 1965 south of the gasworks bridge.

 

Brilliant news and congratulations to everyone up there at the Railway. I do hope that photo is being sent to all the magazines (including online weekly mag Railway Herald) to show just how much progress is being made.

Look forward to visiting later in the year

Edwin Chappell
(Life member who lives too far away!)

 

More updates on the blog about recent work. Plus more pictures of the first passenger trains under the bridge.

I too am too often far away from Oswestry!!

 

The latest newsletter has been sent out. If you are not subscribed you can sign up on the CHR website.

I have copied across a couple of pictures of the preliminary works at Weston from the Facebook page.

Details on the blog.
http://ilvaporista.blogspot.com/