Cholsey and Wallingford

The C&W always seemed like an odd place to me, a mainline interchange and near complete branch line, but the station at Wallingford was less then attractive and it never felt like somewhere that wanted you to see it is an attraction but rather a large train set. As a result of that slightly unfair view I'm really excited to see there are plans to remodel Wallingford including what, on paper, looks like a fantastic station! Does anyone know if this remodelling will include a run-round loop to enable a more traditional operating model for their rolling stock?

 

When i was a member they had been trying to get a strip of land from the industrial estate next door as at the time the maltings was still in use. Otherwise the entire platform face would need moving back. This is why its been shunt release for years.

 

To be fair the original Wallingford station didn't have a run round loop adjacent to the platform.

 

Very true. There is a nice photo of the original Wallingford station in the Ian Allan book 'Passengers No More' on page 116. This was taken in 1958, and the track to the goods shed seems to have been already lifted. The train was headed by a tender engine (Collett Goods no. 3210), remarkable for a two mile trip.

john

 

The Maidenhead canopy is now laid out - and appears to be a large jigsaw puzzle - the trouble is there is no instruction manual or box to get it back together!

A great picture on the CWR facebook page:

www.facebook.com/CholseyWallingfordRailway/

 

Cool. Any plans of what it'll look like when up?

 

There was an artist impression in one of this months
railway magazines

 

Yes there is one on our Facebook page - see post of 18 December for an artistic impression.

https://m.facebook.com/CholseyWalli...0119368501/1773169766035203/?type=3&source=49

There is a lot going on at the railway and whilst we will try and keep posting on here - if you are on Facebook and want to follow what is going on then don't forget to 'like' the page.

 

As a Facebook newbie, can I beg the forum's indulgence and go slightly OT, but using the C&W Facebook page as an example. Many pages offer the option to Join, and then the page is added to a list of Groups down the left-hand of the screen. So I can go to them quickly and easily. Others don't, the C&W page being an example. I can't spot a way to find these again other than searching. Can anybody assist, please?
Many thanks.

 

I think you're getting confused between "pages" and "groups". Pages are for posts purely by the railway, anyone else can comment underneath. Groups allow anyone to post and then comment below. If you do a Facebook search you should be able to search cholsey and Wallingford and filter results to see either pages or groups. You can follow pages, so their posts appear on your timeline, but you join groups (which adds it to the list at the side of the page). Just because a railway has a page doesn't necessarily mean it has a group.

 

OK FS123, thanks for your reply, that clarifies the distinction between Pages and Groups, and confirms what I am seeing, that I can join Groups but not Pages. Can you explain what you mean by 'timeline', and is there a convenient way to go back to a Page to look for the latest information other than by Searching, which seems a bit clonky.
Andy

 

Timeline is just the stream of stuff you see when you first log into Facebook each time, kind of like a news feed. If you're following a page any new posts will appear in your timeline, just scroll down until you start seeing yesterday's stuff, then you know you've hit the bottom! Alternatively, if you click on the "pages" button on the left hand side that will take you to a list of all your liked pages.

 

Slightly off topic, but raising funds for the CWR.

The Kenavon Model Railway exhibition in Reading this Saturday 17th February. Doors open at 10am in The Warehouse on Cumberland Road (just off Cemetery Junction).

Open 1000-1630
Features: Approx 18 layouts, trade stands
Amenities: Disabled access, refreshments, limited free parking off Norwood Road (church car park)

Admission: Adults £4, seniors £2.50, children £2, families (2+2) £9.50.

On Reading bus routes 4, X4, 13, 14, 17, Courtney 126, 127, 128, Arriva 850.

 

I had a few minutes to spare, so I sketched out what I thought would be a good layout for the Wallingford terminus (forgive the rough drawing!):

WallingfordNew.png

Purple building: A modern steel framed 3 road carriage shed with each road capable of holding 3 MK1s. This would allow the railway to have a set in GWR livery, a set in BR livery, a small GWR goods train and a small BR works train.

Green: A new platform

Cream building: A new build traditional style GWR 2 road loco shed with each road capable of holding 3 x 08 diesels. This would allow the railway to keep all their current locos (3 x 08 + 1 industrial diesel) along with 2 visiting steam locos undercover.

Red building: New build traditional style GWR station building

Blue building: New GWR style building housing shop/toilets/cafe or this could be the station building in place of the red building.

Grey area: Car parking

This gives the railway maximum undercover storage on a compact site, 2 sets of coaches (allows 1 set to be taken out of service for repairs), a demonstration goods train, a works train and station buildings with facilities that visitors expect.

I'm not sure how this plan would work with the current Maidenhead canopy plan, but it's just an idea!


Keith

 

We are very sad to have to report the passing of our society President, Sir William McAlpine.

Link to the Henley Standard article via our facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/CholseyWallingfordRailway

 

The CWR’s first running days of 2018 are over the Easter Weekend.

On Saturday 31st March, members of the MG Magnette Register, part of the MG Car Club, are attending with a number of their vehicles.

On Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, there will be a colouring competition and design an Easter Egg for children, with chocolate eggs given away to all the children taking part! There are some great walks from both Cholsey and Wallingford station, so if the weather is good, then passengers can buy a single and walk the other way, a great way to walk off some of that Easter chocolate.

As always the museum, shop and café are open on all three running days.

We are running our class 08 each day with trains from 11.05 to 16.05 from Wallingford and xx.35 from Cholsey.

Return tickets cost £10 for adults, £7 for children and under 5s are free; single tickets half-price. If you are travelling via GWR, then ask for a 'Wally Rover' to get through ticketing.

 

Not only we do have our first running days of the year, Members will shortly receive the latest copy of The Bunk together with the running dates for 2018.

More details on the website and facebook of this years running events.

 

It was great first running weekend of the year at the CWR, with the MG Magnettes being a highlight for all visitors on Saturday.

Our next event is something different, as the railway 'Goes to Town'. The Mayor of Wallingford's railway show takes place on 28th April in Wallingford Town Hall, as the Mayor of Wallingford invites everyone to Wallingford Town Hall from 11:00am to see what the Railway offers our visitors and the local community.

More details are on the website - www.cholsey-wallingford-railway.com/the-mayor-s-railway-show

The event is free, the nearest parking is Goldsmiths lane car park, just a short distance from the 17th Century Town Hall.

 

Just a quick reminder of a different event coming up for the CWR this weekend at the "Mayor's Railway Show" at Wallingford Town Hall. One of the layouts on display is now featured on our facebook page.

facebook.com/CholseyWallingfordRailway/

 

Any news on the canopy?