GWSR General Discussion and Operations

Thanks.

There are a few MkI, generator and DMU vehicles in states of disrepair with rusting bare metal, quite a marked change from the well presented service vehicles. Are these long-term projects, or are there plans for them?

 

I refuse all plastic lids. I find quite a few in the 4 foot at Broadway, despite the big 'recycling' bin on the platform, itself made of plastic.
I think plastic recycling is a myth in practice, it's best not to use any at all.
Early / mid September is nearer for the return of the switch. We are paying the diesel lads daily to top and tail us, and that quickly mounts up, hence the urgency.

 

Some of them! The out of use DMU vehicles at Toddington will eventually form a second 3 car set, but that is a long way off yet.
At Winchcombe, there is a Mk1 SK painted in red oxide, this is the oldest surviving Mk1, owned by a couple of members of the C+W department and we would definitely like to restore it one day, preferably to as original condition as possible.
There is a faded, flaky maroon carriage with a stripped out interior and some missing windows. This was formerly our Toddington security chap's home until he passed away, and the idea was to have it as some sort of lounge car for private hire to stick on the end of service trains. Personally I can't see it happening, but that is only IM(V)HO!
There is the green Army RBr, which up until recently was going to be the next major restoration, but condition of various things means we're probably changing our minds to the rather green mossy-covered choc 'n' cream RBr. It was extracted from the back sidings to better assess its condition and I presume it will return there if the decision is made against it.
Then there's the intercity liveried TSO, this is on the list for full restoration at some stage, and the Irish boiler coach, which we may restore, potentially - there is work being done on the boiler bit.
There are a a few Mk1 based BGs, roller shutter coaches etc. which are a source of spares and also home to spares. We have no intention of restoring any of these to running service but we may throw some paint at them one day to make them a bit more presentable. The trouble with that is inevitably once we've done so suddenly it's more convenient to have that in a hidden siding swapped with something that still looks dreadful!

 

The Buffet steward required us to have them, to carry cups to the next coach - for H&S

 

For those who didn't notice it, there's a new post on the Civil Engineering Blog. Very interesting.

Noel

 

My coverage of 6023 King Edward II steaming through the Cotswolds on her last day at the GWSR yesterday afternoon, filmed at Kayte Lane, Dixton Cutting and Laverton.

 

Poor old 2807 in the last shot! Being pulled backwards like that! The Heavy General Overhaul is due in 2020 so wallets open please! I recall photos of 6023 at Barry Scrapyard in the 1970s with "we can't save this one but we've save 6024" painted on the tender I believe. Then seeing it for myself in the Bristol TM Station old fish dock siding (or something like that) after Harveys of Britol bought it. Never thought I'd ever see it on the GWSR. Sometimes things do work out but it can take time.

 

6 years on from starting this thread, I visited today and enjoyed my round trip. The train was much less crowded than when I visited in the spring (on that occasion there were a lot of coach parties and it was uncomfortably full). Toddington Station is a delight and Broadway will be superb when it is finished - the footbridge is coming on apace. There appeared to be a lot fewer rotting vehicles at Winchcombe.

The station drive at Toddington always appears fairly hazardous though with pedestrians wandering around as they move between the car park and the station in front of vehicles entering and exiting. It always strikes me that it could do with a pedestrian walkway painting on the drive, together with a zebra crossing

 

We do try our best to avoid having too many coach parties on that first train out of Cheltenham but it is inevitably the busiest train of the day, some days we could quote comfortably load 10 carriages! You were lucky today, despite it being the last "Teddy bear Tuesday" it was just pleasantly busy. The DMU got rather full at one point when a large group managed to catch the wrong train!
As for Winchcombe, it purely depends on ideal positions for things when shunting a rather full yard. Some days it turns out better than others. When the third take is out it does reveal a few horrors though!
Funny you should mention the drive way at Toddington, we were talking about this just today, and I agree, it's never felt particularly safe. Slowing cars down probably ought to be part of the solution too, some of them do tear along, technically it's a 5mph speed limit but you wouldn't know it from watching!

 

Were you at Winchcombe today? There was a group outside the carriage workshop and I noticed one young man and wondered if it was you.

 

Probably, I was here there and everywhere today!

 

I should have also said that I travelled in SO's which were very comfortable and well maintained. They were Formica rather than commonwealth wood veneer, but I guess that's down to BR.

 

Indeed, I do think we have more than our fair share of the nicer wooden panelled interiors looking at some other railways, but unfortunately we do have to put up with Formica in some, we do our best to make it as presentable as possible!

 

Good to see two rakes of very smart stock at the railway on Saturday. One full rake of maroon and one chocolate and cream. Very smart. <BJ>

 

I was in Cheltenham recently, and had chance at lunchtime to wander down to the station to eat my sandwiches on the platform. Here's a few snapshots.

 

Good news! There's a post on the P'way Flickr site showing the repaired switch from Broadway! Hopefully it will be re-installed soon, and then the topping-n-tailing can be dispensed with!

Noel

 

A photo taken in 1965 at roughly the same position as your last photo.

 

Another view from roughly the same spot in June 1996, when the trains were somewhat smaller! This was an open day to promote the extension south to Cheltenham Race Course. It would be 2003 before the Station reopened. Lest we forget what it was like.

 

"Your wish is my command Sir!" I recall the 1450 event well. Here it is. All the lombardy polar trees on the right of the photo became diseased with honey fungus and had to be felled a few years ago.