GWSR General Discussion and Operations

Excellent work by All concerned!

 

It would detract hugely from the wonderful work and ingenuity that has gone into the platform 1 building if the platform 2 structure weren't built to the same style and standard. The skill and commitment is there for all to see and surely the funding would materialise if the project were sanctioned by the railway.
On the subject of platform1 , would construction of a 'dummy' chimney be feasible somewhere above the end wall of the building?

 

Given that the GWSR operates on a Rome-was-not-built-in-a-day philosophy, as indeed it must, then why not a temporary shelter such as Hayles Abbey Halt, if P2 is operationally required? Prominent advertising of 'what is to come' with a collection box etc would all help towards the proposed permanent structure, would it not?

 

I see that this year's "Wartime in the Cotswolds" has been cancelled, the GWSR's board of the view that it would be inappropriate to host such an event with the terrible atrocities unfolding in Ukraine.

Whilst a shame to see this event cancelled, given the tragic circumstances I truly respect that this is, without doubt, a very wise decision on the GWSR's part.

 

IMO a thoroughly laudable decision. Is any alternative theme under consideration?

 

Maybe an anti-war weekend with peace symbols? Any profits to one of the Ukrainien help charities?

 

I'm only sure of one thing, and that's that it's not for me to say. As for any line IMO, it has to be a discussion and decision for the management and membership alone.

 

I've always found them to be gauche and ahistorical anyway. Still the right decision and leaves a weekend in the calendar more time build a more interesting event. I'm sure certain members of this forum will be writing them a message right now.

 

You should see what’s been said on RailUk, I certainly have no problem with it being cancelled/replaced.

 

I saw unironic uses of "woke", "lefty" and "cancel culture", that was plenty tbh. Every war event I've seen pictures of is full of people skipping about dressed like Heartbeat extras pretending like there wouldn't be one train a day in each direction to make way for troops and equipment. Not sure I want to get started on MK1s and station signage or the ELR doing a murder years ago. All misplaced nostalgic claptrap by generations that never lived through it it seems. Just call it a 50s or 60s weekend and have blokes with Morris Minors and a Buddy Holly cover band.

 

I love the groups where you have a bunch of "serious re-enactors", US 101st Airborne, or British Parachute Regt, all the gear, uniforms spot on etc., except they are all aged 50-70. Dropped from a Dakota over Normandy or Holland you'd get 80% casualties without any German involvement.

 

"What? Of course not .... the missus packs everything for me"

 

It's the platoons full of colonels, generals and field marshals as far as the eye can see that always amuse me, far outnumbering the privates that turn up!
Still a shame though, I did enjoy a turn on that weekend, it was good fun, and always a pleasure to see the railway so busy, but can understand why it had to go. Pity we've defaulted to just an ordinary 2 train day in lieu though, I've got to rewrite the roster now!

Unfortunate in my view that the more educational evacuation experience had to go too though, personally I'd say now's more important to teach kids about that sort of thing than ever.

 

Perhaps they're worse off because we can watch it live and see images that would not be printed back in 1940 like the dead Russian covered in snow or the guy who was feet away from a tank shell taking his head off his shoulder. I do somewhat agree that them not experiencing it right now probably isn't great but there's still plenty of source material to crib from and history is repeating itself in a few places.

 

Should Bishops Cleeve station return? If so, why? If not, why not?

 

I'd prefer it to but I don't know how much that would benefit them and whether they have the facilities to do so. As for passengers. It serves two towns so it may very well provide more. But again, I'm unsure which is why I pose the question.

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I thought Bishops Cleeve was an area of high vandalism in the past. Would a station not be another target?

 

Indeed, it could never be more than a bus shelter type thing, which doesn't exactly excite me. At the rate Bishop's Cleeve is expanding it won't be long before Gotherington station will do to serve the town anyway! There's no prospect of reinstating anything remotely like the original station, it's certainly not a destination, and I can't say I've particularly detected a strong desire for it to be a starting point for those that live there either. We did try and buy some land for a station there some years ago but were outbid and I can't say I'm disappointed in hindsight - it's now a day nursery instead and it's always a pleasure giving them a wave as we go by. I often think that when the kids go home they'll tell their parents all about the steam train that goes past and how they'd like a ride on it, may well generate more new passengers that way than a new station anyway.