Swindon and Cricklade Railway General Discussion

By the way, the Swindon and Cricklade Railway is currently collecting funds in order to improve the accessibility for disabled people on their trains.
https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk...s-to-upgrade-trains-with-disabled-facilities/

 

Its unfortunate that when the road layout was changed that the track bed going towards old town wasn't protected as now you can not go beyond moulton hill to a location nearer to Swindon its self , my family live quite close to the park and have been to Blunsdon a few times , but I can't help but wonder, would a terminus in Old town, have seen better customer support? As I understand it, also, the old station site at Cricklade was re developed years ago and so you have to stop short of the town.

 

A quick question - which really belongs in the 'rolling stock' section (well - maybe - no wheels though!) but I thought that if posted here, the right people might see it.

On the 'Preserved Railway Stock List' site the S&CR are listed as having a dia. 3/256 'AFP' container which is noted as "obtained from unknown location 09/18". Any info on this, or, ideally, a photo, would be appreciated.

The only other examples listed on PRSL are AFP66414B - I know it isn't that one, because this is mine - and AFP66012 or 66019B which is "collapsed in the bushes" at Wigan Springs Branch. Except that if it is 6601x then it is an AF not an AFP (they are quite different, but I have no photo to go on so can't help on that one).

Over on the VCT Wagon survey they list AFP66449B as 'SCRAPPED' , ex South Leaze Farm, Wroughton, Wiltshire, scrapped by 2004.

So is the S&CR one of these, or another, or not actually an AFP?

I'd like to know as I'd like to know if mine is now unique or not...!

 

I've got a question concerning the planned extension to Mouldon hill. Where will the station site be located (I see some space next to a small car park (200-300 metres from the current terminus Taw Valley Halt))? Will the Taw Valley Halt be replaced by the Mouldon Hill station and what's the time plan for the development(obviously after the extension to Farfield Lane)?

 

Just for the record, I've had a private reply to this confirming it as AFP66449B (clearly reports of its demise were premature). So my AFP66414B is not unique, but there is one from each lot, which is nice. There was a gap in the numbering so in terms of the overall AFP production run they are only 5 apart. All of them were built in Swindon, so it's also nice that one survives so close to its 'birthplace'. I also suspect (though don't yet know for sure) that the two carried different liveries throughout their lives. [Certainly mine carried 'Birds Eye' and the other carried BR ice blue, but the other one also had another livery which is, as yet, uncertain.] All in all a lucky find.

 

The intention was always that after the current Taw valley halt that the line would veer off on a sharp bend to the right (west) along a new formation and then the station be built in the country park. (just after the bend). An embankment was built for this new bit, and then it would replace the Taw valley halt which was only seen as temporary.

I understand it is a bit on hold as Swindon council are short of funds to build their part, (the intention being that it would be some kind joint facility) so they have gone a bit cold on it. I seem to recall there was also some difficulty with it being effectively a new formation (i.e. not along along an original line) so would be classified differently to the rest of the line.

I think at the moment the plan is to concentrate efforts on going in the opposite direction towards Cricklade.

 

I understand when the railway was started in 1978 that they were offered the Old town station site but it would have meant they could only has run as far as Rushy Platt (ie about 1 mile) as beyond there it originally went over a bridge over the Great western main and in the other direction there is a roundabout over the formation. Also even the section that could have been used, there is a lot of very posh luxury houses that overlook where the railway was and they were somewhat against it. The section I am referring to was kept a bit longer for track laying practice by BR and was also used too when the M4 was being constructed.

Where the Cricklade station was, is all built over with roads and houses, not even sure exactly where it was located as there is no trace. It approaches the town along an embankment (which is still there), then there was a bridge over a road which has gone. On the other side the embankment has gone and then it is a T junction with a road along where the railway was. If you go there today there is a semaphore signal placed there at the end of the embankment by the road.

By chance a member about 10 years ago noticed a farmer selling (on ebay) the iron canopies and supports from the original Cricklade station that he had purchased when then station was being demolished in the 1960s but then never used, so the railway bought them. They have been cleaned up and painted in red oxide, so there is the potential they could be reused as part of any new station that gets built.

 

The railway has acquired a set of loco/coach lifting jacks, heavy beasts 4 x 35 tonne. They have arrived and tried asking about them but nobody I spoke to seemed to know much about them.

Anyone know more of the plans where they will go ? where they have been obtained from etc ?

 

Purchased from network rail in working order. Just need to be certified by insurance.
Bought for use at the railway.

 

Swindon and Cricklade Railway is currently home to three GWR freight locomotives, 6619, 5637 and 6695.
We will be hoping to get all three on shed together later in the year, pandemic permitting. Should make a great line up, not sure the last time three 56/66xx were all together.

Keep watching the website and Facebook page.

 

When did 6619 move from the KESR?

 

Yes a typo, 5619.

 

The Swindon and Cricklade is starting running again for the first time this Sunday 4th Oct. (Sundays only). A single traveller can get a compartment to themselves for just £8. Will be diesel only initially and then steam re introduced at some future date when passenger numbers justify it. You need to book ahead for the train you want to travel on. Can already see on the website that tickets are selling.

Tickets here https://swindon-cricklade-railway.org/

 

A couple of pics of last Sundays trains, first since Lockdown. The first picture also shows the platform at Blunsdon which has recently had all new tarmac. Quite a lot of visitors and low costs of running the Green 08 helped bring in income. I understand will be the turn of the Blue 09 this Sunday.

 

I see steam running this Sunday at the SCR, 5619, get your tickets on the website !

 

I wonder if anyone connected to the Swindon and Cricklade can shed any light on the attached picture, was the SCR in the early days known as the Mid Wilts or was that a project which never got off the ground?

 

Mid-Wiltshire would place it somewhere near Devizes but I cant think of any pipe-dream projects around there.

 

Could be Mid-Wilts loco group rather than a railway?

 

There were numerous instances of locos being marked up as "reserved" and even "sold" by groups that really only existed as someone's pipe-dream. It did cause a degree of difficulty for Woodhams and other, bona-fide, loco purchasers at the time.
Ray.