Oswestry Update

Thanks for the reply.
Seemed a bit odd after being on a number of Waybeam replacement jobs overnight on the big railway and also on the NYMR.

Nice to see the correct use of pandrols at joints with the Left handed clips.

 

Impressive work! Well Done to All concerned.
It is interesting to compare the platform construction with what has happened at my local station (Market Harborough). I'm sure that both will cater for similar numbers of passengers but the MH platform is on a new deep stone bed, made with solid concrete sections and then filled with selected stone etc. Then it had about three layers of graded tarmac.....Obviously it is alongside a 100MPH railway but it is easy to see why it cost NR approx £30M.
You are to be congratulated for achieving so much with, I suspect, 1/1000th of the spend!

 

It's great seeing such visible progress taking place. Well done everybody!

Steve B

 

The grant to build the basic station I think is around £130k, that covers the bought out materials and services. The volunteer labour and management is being provided by CHR volunteers. That will give us a basic station, any extra funds raised will go on improving the facilities and station ambience. At first the station will be basic and functional but with time extras such as a water crane and second platform are planned.

 

Where do you source your waybeams from Bryan ?. We have some to replace this coming Winter.

Bob.

 

Will ask.
Asked awaiting reply.

 

Today track was assembled up to the southern end of the platform.

 

pm sent

 

Pictures from day 4 now on the blog.
Including some touches to enhance the heritage ambiance.

http://ilvaporista.blogspot.com

 

Steady progress.
I,m sure this railway is already a real asset to the local area and is becoming a significant "player" in the heritage rail family.

 

I think we can count ourselves as vintage as the first moves were back in the early 70's.
My personal opinion is that it will be a few years before CHR moves up to being a significant player as we are a bit limited in operational scope until the level crossings issue is resolved.

 

Thought I'd stumbled on to a West Country based thread for a minute there!

 

Day 5. The run round loop continues to push south.


Blog now updated with Friday's pictures.
http://ilvaporista.blogspot.com

 

Really great to see the progress that's being made. What's not to like about a line that encompasses a hugely impressive station building and a brewery? I can see it becoming a very successful venture.

A couple of questions if I may? How much work is required to upgrade the track between the cattle creep and Weston (and when is that planned for)? Also, the run-round at Oswestry involves crossing a road (of sorts) - do you have permission to use that, or is regulatory approval still required?

 

The line between the cattle creep and Weston will need the same amount of work as the previous section. Now we have the equipment, working.., the progress will be quicker. The work will start once we can see Weston as fairly complete and the grant awarding bodies are satisfied. There were some time limits imposed on some of the grants for the station.
The railway has statutory powers for the level crossing to the north of Oswestry station. This was part of the conditions for the development of the medical centre. The track is already in place.
I have to agree that having a brewery next to the station is a fun prospect and time will tell if it draws the crowds. However the beer does go down well with the volunteers!

 

The weekend saw the team at Llynclys continue with work on the DMU set. Whilst rubbing down they found a reminder of the original owner.

 

@ilvaporista a quick query if you'll indulge it. Who supplied your cast concrete platform, as I can't find a name (after much scrolling through your posts)?
And did this present a cost saving over a conventional platform?
Thank you in advance.

 

Hi Rob, thanks for your question. I'll confirm in a few days who the supplier is. I heard a name during the initial enquiries but I'm not 100% sure we went with that supplier.
The cost issue is more difficult as using only volunteer labour and reclaimed bricks (think GWSR Broadway platforms) I am sure the cost could be minimal. If we had new bricks and volunteer labour that would be more expensive but less than a contractor. Having a contractor build a platform wall and then backfilled by volunteers would cost still more. The top option would be a fully contractor built platform.
In our case we had tight deadlines and a limited volunteer base, though I am very pleased to say that since CHR has pushed forward with the project and achieved more visible results the number of active volunteers has significantly increased.
In the case of the Weston platform I would say that the sectional platform chosen offered the best trade off between investment cost, appearance, available labour and timing. Other railways will have different objectives for these. It cost more than a volunteer built platform but not as much as a contractor built version. As you have seen the time to assemble was pretty quick. No disrespect to any other railways but it was not a build spread over months/years because of funding deadlines.

 

Thank you for your comprehensive reply. One of the railways im involved with is looking to extend an existing platform. So we are preparing costs for a traditional extension, or alternatives, such as precast segments.

 

This week and over the weekend there is a big push to reclaim the railway from the vegetation which has appeared during lockdown.
Norman and the team have been busy along the line as these before and after pictures show.