Stratford on Avon and Broadway Railway Society-change of plans

Not sure if this has been announced in the magazines or elsewhere:

I do realise the limitations of Wikipedia, and I would be the first to caution its use as a 'proper' source, but in this case I think the above course of actions have been coming for a while and the report can therefore be reasonably taken as fact.


Keith

 

that was in one of the railway magazines last year. but no one seems to know any more.

 

I think the KEY is not to get LOCKED OUT of the information loop with things like this

 

I asked a question about the S&B Rly society on another thread somewhere which received jack in the way of a response so I am assuming that the society (of which I was once a member but have lost all contacts - foolish I know) is now in limbo since their stock still appears to be at Long Marston and the Pro-Active Vision (sounds a bit "right on" for a railway movement to me) outfit at Sharpness seems to have remained silent too. Recession put paid to it for the moment I guess.

 

hmm good advice. i hate being LOCKED OUT with information. if only there was a way to BREAK IN to find out. maybe if i didnt get my self SHUT OUT of the loop in the first place i would know.

 

I was looking forward to watching the TV programme that supposedly going to be made about the Sharpness bid, but all I managed to find online was a 4 minute video outlining the proposal on the national lottery website. It didnt seem to make the list of finalists either. There was no mention of the Broadway society that I can recall.

 

Dear Forum readers,

You are all right to be asking questions about SBRS and the Proactive Vision Community project in the Vale of Berkeley, (including Sharpness)

A great deal is going on behind the scenes although, it is true, there is much publicity to come. Very much in fact.

A forum reader states that the name Pro Active Vision (PAV) is really as it were seeming not sounding right for railway. He is correct.

PAV is a holistic community project which is very multi faceted. What is known as the Berkeley Vale Railway is but one part of it. PAV is a professionally and commercially financed matrix of many things including maritime activities, yet with many traditional volunteers also. It is probably best if train folk referred to the all important railway subsidiary as 'Berkeley Vale Railway, BVR or BeaVeR line'.

The project is massive and is long term, it is somewhat different to the usual heritage or preserved railway scenario in many ways, although, we would never break away from the all important volunteer aspect.

There is a website being launched in short order and the project is due to physically start very soon now. The official supporting company are those that are at his time preparing to leave Long Marsden and as all know, were referred to as SBR or Stratford and Broadway Railway.. The new company is also called SBR, which has conveniently fallen into the category as Sharpness and Berkeley Railway.

Membership info etc is available by writing to Mr. Graham Hall the MEM SEC or emailing him on <gbrockville@yahoo.com>

If you would like to find out more, please email (for the time being) berkeleyvalerailway@gmail.com one of the many involved will answer any reasonable questions you have and invite you along if you would like to visit.

Its a pleasure to shed some light on this vast noble, altruistic and philanthropic project, but please understand it has purposely been kept low key for a number of salient reasons until now.

You have the email address, now please get writing.

David

Rev David W Heathcote, Chairman, Pro Active Vision Group, Berkeley Vale Project

 

I was correct, it is far too "right on" to be a railway project name. Pro-Active Vision eh? I always wondered what the Bankers did with their bonuses. It's "Long Marston" btw.

 

Although I live within 25 miles of this scheme I have to say that I really, really don't welcome the idea of ANOTHER steam railway in the area even if it is somehow part of a grander scheme of some sort. I know many others who think the same way.

We already have within about an hour travel time of this location:

GWSR
AVR
ESR
SVR
WSR
S&CR
DFR
Bristol Harbour Rly

And just in case you had'nt noticed most of these to a greater or lesser extent need more cash, more volunteers and yes more passengers if they are all to survive!!

Another steam railway is overkill - and risks further diluting these essentials.

 

:yell: Nice to see you have replied, thanks for this.

Perhaps if you know a few bankers with too much bonus, perhaps they could be talked into investing it into jobs and education for those far less privileged. Hand this money over to a scheme like ours and we will hump and loose shunt it all right, right in the direction of those who have not in our community.

D

 

Banter alert!

 

ray: I think this friend is not fully understanding what this project is about. Under normal conditions I would agree, but his rendering shows he is not in anyway in touch with this vast matrix, and doesn't seem to take too much notice of the many companies who are paying into this scheme or benefiting from it. A great deal of the money comes from my own businesses and I have already done my own due diligence and will decide what I wish to invest in, which is an area with much decline. Also this scheme is NOT simply heritage. If this friend wishes to write into (for now) berkeleyvalerailway@gmail.com one of our number will put him more clearly in the picture.

Rev David

 

The wife is ALWAYS shunting me around, it can be painful. :rolleyes1:

Rev D (PAVision

 

Seeing as your a Rev, does that mean you've been dippping in the local churches roof fund? :lol: :lol::biggrin1::rofl::whoo:

 

:drama: Everybody benefits by everybody benefiting (One of the PAV sayings)

 

:yell: Bring back my church roof and now the floors gone too!!!

Rev D (PAV)

Get down on it! :eyebrows:

 

Wouldn't your scheme be better directed at a heritage railway that already exists and supports volunteers rather than trying to create a new railway out of nothing?

 

Again Neil, You have not actually understood that the scheme goes ahead as it is, PART of a much larger and philanthropic project of which only this area totally qualifies. No other geographical, topographical or demographical area has the virtues of the Vale. More than six years of due diligence has been done and it simply MUST be born in mind the project is aimed at people, not railway preservation or any other consideration. It has this element within it, as it is set to offer education facilities, children and young people elements, freight services, charter, parkway and different assistance to many other arenas. If it was just a railway preservation entity, (as we have all come to know) you would have a point of which I would profoundly agree. It is also prerequisite that the board of directors are tuned into this type of project as a calling. Those running railway preservation, would have none of the training and compassion, as well as social entrepreneurial skills that PAV urgently requires. It is a vast project and could not really be achieved by the typical level of understanding or propensity of average Heritage railway directors.

I could write an essay covering your enquiry the size of the literary phenomena of War and Peace, however this is not possible. I do however hope what has been explained, will assure those interested enough to kindly read and ask in a forum, to see there is a total difference of mission and even more diverse expected outcome. Some things cannot be shared right now , but it will come to light as time goes by.

Thank you for asking the question for all to see and do write in for other info.:amen:

Rev David

 

National Preservation now has a buzzword bingo thread.
The Reverend David Heathcote has been given a dictionary for Christmas and is determined to use as many words as possible from it in each post.
"Put not your trust in false gods."
Whilst I am a supporter of new projects that put their plans across to the public with measured argument, I would suggest that, at the moment, it is better to put your support into the existing heritage railways (the well deserving Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway being a good example) instead. I seem to recall that you were very much a GWSR person in the early days Mr Heathcote but that was a long time ago of course before you became a reverend.
I think most people who visit this website are, by definition very pro heritage railways but they are also realists, who have worked hard on their projects, in both financial and physical terms, often for many years. They just might see through the words. I await developments with interest. In the meantime, I will continue to do what I have done for over 30 years, support real railways like the GWSR and the emerging Somerset and Dorset Heritage trust at Midsomer Norton. However, what people do with their money and time is up to them quite rightly.

 

Considering what the preservation movement has achieved in 60 years I think your comments are a bit patronising. At least the preservation movement has something to show for its efforts other than some random blue-sky thinking....