Gwili Extention to Carmarthen?

As it seems there are some active people here, any one know what the current situation is with regards the planning permission worry and the fund raising for the approach road?

 

To give a brief background to this:

The present aim of the Gwili is to extend from our present station at Bronwydd south towards the town of Carmarthen. The Railway owns 2 miles of trackbed which terminates at the site of the old Abergwili Junction (this was the point where the line to Llandeilo left the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth line). Part of the junction is now occupied by the Carmarthen Eastern Bypass and the aim of the railway is to build a brand new station next to the road with an access from the bypass at this point.

Extra land was purchased at this site and planning permission was obtained. As you may have seen in the recent issue of Steam Railway magazine there is a deadline of October 2008 in relation to the expiry of the planning permission i.e construction of the access road must be commenced by then.

At present the railway is carrying out negotiations with various bodies in an attempt to secure funding so that the access road can be constructed. Efforts are being made to raise the predicted match funding of £40,000 (total estimated cost of access road c.£200,000). So far the appeal has got off to a reasonable start with approx. £6,000 raised in a few weeks but more money is still required.

The railway is confident that some money can be secured from external sources but as ever nothing is guaranteed.

In the interim a volunteer team is proceeding with tracklaying on the vacant trackbed towards Carmarthen. This is being done in stages and as and when funds permit - approximatley 300 yards was laid in 2006, with a further 500 yards last year and this year a further 400 yards will be tracked taking the head of steel to just over 1/2way.

Some photos of the track laid in 2006 can be seen here (as part of a charter with pannier 5764)
http://daviddudley.fotopic.net/c1116384.html

So the main issue is one of funding as far as this extension is concerned ; one thing is for sure is that the next few months are going to be critical in terms of the development of the railway.

 

I did wonder how the fund raising was going, I got the shareholders/memebers letter, and was about to sign up to some direct debits, but the "Substational donations ONLY please" bit sort of put me off. Just wondered if this over agressive appraoch has done more harm than good?

 

Yes that was an unfortunate phrase to use. I think the point that was intended to be stressed was that we need serious money (although £40,000 is not beyond the ability of the railway to raise by any means). Personally I am sure that any contributions however big or small will assist the railway so please don't be put off by this.

If the CN project does come to fruition we hope that the railway will be transformed as better access to the line can be obtained with hopefully an increase in pasenger figures. We are still intent on openning the line whatever but the classic railway to no-where will not be the most ideal scenario by any means.

 

I agree the Carmarthen extension should be viewed as a big project, and to a degree the future of the Gwili does depend on it. I was surprised that such a critical thing as the lapsing of planning permission had been over looked for so long, I guess if we'd thought of it at the start, we'd have concentrated on secureing funding for the approach road and then been able to construct the extension at our own pace. And knowing what we know now, kicking ourselves for looking North 10-15 years ago.

However I imagine that the enthusiat in us takes over and we all think of the track etc., first.

Are there any plans to lessen the impact should the planning permission lapse?

I'll have to look at my finances and see if I can cobble together some monthly donations.

(I find the move to infrequent members updates rather fustrating especially as they often makes appeals for volunteers for events that occured a few weeks before the journal/newsletter is actually recieved. Is there/are there plans for some online news? Maybe a Yahoo group such as the VoGR have?)

 

Some good points you have made there.

In relation to the issue of North/South when the railway purchased the land in 1977 the Carmarthen Bypass was still in the planning stages. It was finally constructed in 1996. So for years the railway resisted a southern extension as it could have literally ended some distance away from the bypass. It was only when the by-pass was built that we knew where our destination would be. By this time we were in the middle of our northwards extension.

As you will appreciate the Planning Permission has been a date that has been stamped on the railway's mind for some time. Several avenues have been explored since the planning permission was granted which for various reasons have come to nought. However it is seemingly only now that the political tide is turning when it really is the last chance for Carmarthenshire to have a vibrant heritage railway on it's dorstep that we may, at last be moving forward.

I do agree that lack of information is an issue. It's always nice to see support 'out there'. Regular volunteers do have the benefit of a monthy 'newsletter' which is sent by e-mail but for those who live further away then communication does need to be addressed.

The supporting society are looking at setting up a website with more immediate 'news' and the Vintage Carriage Group website does provide some information (although of a specific nature).

However you can expect further official announcements to be made as and when they happen.

As far as a contingency plan goes, well we are working on this as well but hope it won't be required......

 

Can I suggest that you go back to your members and say that, whilst substantial donations would be great, small, regualr donations or members loans could also help.

Southern Locomotives always offered shares in their engines with a monthly payment option, and the system has been followed elsewhere. 50 members donating £20 per month for 5 years raises £60,000, more if you can claim Gift Aid.

Even allowing for some not completing the full 5 years, that woudl mean you could borrow the £40,000 and be sure of an income stream of donations to cover the repayments. Liekwise, members loans could be repaid as donations build up.

Hope that helps and all the best with the extension.

 

That was the sort of route I was thinking of going (and the Mrs was going to contribute similarly), until I read the sign off of the letter...

 

As I said, please don't be put off. I can assure you that those at the top are working very hard to ensure to the best of their ability to ensure that this does happen.

There are lots of posative things going on the Gwili, last year we re-launched a new steam locomotive, Haulwen and this year we have been able to commission a fully functionning kitchen car for £10,000, probably 1/6 of the cost of having it done professionally. Later this year we will hopefully have GWR coach 216 of 1888 entering passenger traffic for the first time in 75 years, which I promise you is a quality restoration job.

Yes I'm biased but there is a lot of pride in our line.. and we hope there is more to come!

 

I must say I do support the Gwili, it's my local line, since the demise of the Swansea Vale, but before that I would have descibed as the only local line with any hope of getting anywhere. And I harbour thoughts of getting off my backside and actually get down there try to get involved.

And I will be dragging the form out of where I put it, I think it;s in the car.

 

You will be more than welcome if you do. PM me if you want.

 

I'm might just do that when I get back off hols.

 

For those who are interested here is the state of play with the extension as of Today, Sunday 13th of July. The First Image shows were the present track ends.



The next shot show the way ahead it is approval 3/4 of a mile remaining from the rail head to Carmarthen North.


Today activity was centred around removing and humps lumps or any other unsightly bit from the track. \/

Hopefully some more pictures to follow !

 

I'm a former Gwili Society member from the the late 70s early 80s (still have a bunch of share certificates). The days of Dinmore Manor and "we'll be in Cynwil in a year's time..."!
Would love to rejoin and help with the finances, but am now in the US and the website doesn't say that credit cards are accepted. Can't use a UK bank a/c, so that counts me out unless there's a way around this?

 

I can relate to that-when I joined in the late 80's it was the days of Odney Manor and "we'll be in Cynwyl in a year's time!"

We have recently entered the 21st Century and installed a credit card machine at the shop in Bronwydd. I suggest you ring the shop which is open from Mondays to Fridays 9.30 - 4pm.

The number is on the website www.gwili-railway.co.uk.

hope this helps.

 

Thanks for this!
BTW, does anyone know where the original locos Merlin and Olwen are now?

 

Olwen is still based at Gwili, although often tours round as Percy.

 

Merlin is now based at the Timothy Hackworth Railway museum - see link

http://www.railcentre.co.uk/museum/merlin.htm

(Although I think it is undergoing overhaul at the moment)

 

Oi Matt shouldn't you be at work.... :-$ :-#

 

I remember driving past the Gwilli on the way to West Wales was Cynwil the Station to the north of the end of the line that had, what looked from the road, a couple of wagons in it? Did the Gwilli ever get to this station? If not, what went wrong?

Thanks.