Toddington update - Chcken Curve slip

Pete,

Think you ought to make the new thread a sticky?

 

Update about the Gotherington slip now on GWSR website:
click here
It certainly looks like good progress is being made!

 

Hope to get some press releases out soon with regard to some planned events. Expect some of our locos to turn up at other railways before Easter. . .
Thanks for all your continued support.

Andy
Chairman, Loco Dept Management Team

 

Look forward to press releases

 

The new 2011 timetable and list of events is now up on the site. The northern DMU operations start 2nd April and the southrn steam operations are planned to start 22nd April. Sadly no steam gala this year as the budget just isn't there for trucking in locos but there are plans for a diesel gala later in the year using the resident locos. Thomas and Santas will be running too for the young and young at heart!

We should also be releasing details of a season ticket fairly soon too. Still discussions ongoing but please keep checking the website. There is a great deal going on to make sure we can offer as good an experience as the current situation allows and as more info becomes available it will go on the site.

Steve
GWSR webmaster

 

Which DMU has been called in to cover?

 

Never mind about no steam gala. At least there are some trains running!
As nobody has posted the link for how to donate, I'll remind you:
click here

 

They've got a DMU - about 15 years ago it was newly restored and well used. However in recent years it appears to have just been parked at Toddington and now looks pretty tatty.

 

Correct, the DMU is to be hired in. I don't know yet where it is coming from but rest assured details will be on the site when I have them. All I know so far is that it is going to be green!

Steve
GWSR webmaster

 

Just looked at the GWSR appeal page:
http://www.gwsr.com/appeal.aspx

How come they can claim insurance for the first slip, but not the second?

Adding the £60k shortfall from Christmas into the appeal seems a bit strange. Lots of other railways had similar problems, but don't start a national appeal for it. A "few hundred Christmas present" could just be used next year, surely?

Richard

 

It is stated in the railway press that their insurers removed cover for such slips following the first one.

 

"Adding the £60k shortfall from Christmas into the appeal seems a bit strange. Lots of other railways had similar problems, but don't start a national appeal for it. A "few hundred Christmas present" could just be used next year, surely?"

I think you have missed the point entirely . The GWSR has run out of money. If they had not had to cancel their Santas they would have had another £60K in the bank, at this moment they need every penny they can get. £100 will be in the post to them from me.

Suggest everybody helps however and with how much they can .

 

Thanks for the info. Hadn't realised they were in such a bad way financially.

Richard

 

When you donate your £100 add your name to the National Preservation GWSR landslip roll call.
Send your donation now.

 

Are we getting the message across well enough of how dire our situation is? A lot of my work recently on the website has been preparing it for the coming season as we need to get as many people to travel as possible to bring the money in to starg the repairs at Chicken Curve. This is guess has meant things have looked maybe a little more positive than they really are.

I am worried that if, on an enthusiasts forum the message isn't neccessarily getting through, are we also not getting through to the public. Maybe I am thinking too deeply about this for so early in the morning..

Regarding insurance, yes following claims at Cheltenham and Gotherington cover was withdrawn. Hence the dire financial state and hence the appeal.

 

Steve,

I was aware of the landslips through NatPres and "Heritage Railway" magazine, but I certainly hadn't realised how bad the financial situation was.

Following the flood damage at the Severn Valley some years ago, there have been a number of major infrastructure problems at heritage railways. The GWSR is obviously extremely unfortunate in getting two at once, but I wonder if "reader fatigue" is beginning to creep in - people are seeing it as "just another landslip" story and haven't realised how it affects the railway and its finances.

It's a difficult balancing act - the GWSR needs to publicise the services it IS running as much as possible (for ticket revenue), but still remind people of the problems it are facing (for fundraising). Personally, I'm not sure that the photo and information on the homepage of the website (http://www.gwsr.com/home.aspx) encourages the general public to visit the railway. It gives them a very negative message. A visitor also has to do a lot of searching through the website to find any information about the services which ARE still running. Maybe it needs a "WE'RE STILL OPEN" banner or something to keep the public coming in, and some positive information about how much of the railway is open?

Richard