GWSR - first train into new Broadway station

[reddragon]

I agree, I just wish the GWSR weren't so coy about making it a stated intention to extend to Honeybourne. Clearly it won't happen tomorrow, Broadway has to be completed, the new service introduced and 'bedded in'. A period of consolidation is inevitable. And an extension can't begin until funding is available.

My understanding is that once the work at Broadway is completed maybe in 2 years time and the new services & passenger numbers are known, then decisions & discussions on further extensions could be made.

Any extension must make business sense in cost, profitability, volunteer staffing etc and be supported by members of the railway and other interested parties.

The Honeybourne area will be tricky / costly due to it being NR land and subject to significant railway enhancement proposals. The decision to extend north or south will now probably be heavily dependant on those third parties, Cheltenham in the south and Worcestershire / Stratford / NR in the north.

 

[jimm]

I agree, I just wish the GWSR weren't so coy about making it a stated intention to extend to Honeybourne. Clearly it won't happen tomorrow, Broadway has to be completed, the new service introduced and 'bedded in'. A period of consolidation is inevitable. And an extension can't begin until funding is available.

There is nothing coy about the current position of the GWSR board.

It was stated in black and white in the quote below that was attributed to press officer Ian Crowder in an article in the current Railway Magazine.

"There are no immediate plans for any further extensions in the foreseeable future - either north or south."

The article then lists a series of investment priorities to improve facilities at Toddington and Winchcombe for rolling stock and volunteers and improved security systems at key locations.

Future extensions will take a long time even when a decision is made - at the Broadway scheme's rate of progress, even if they started this year, they wouldn't complete the similar distance to Honeybourne until 2030.

 

[AndyY1951]

That statement is a masterly bit of ambiguity any politician would be proud of!
No immediate plans' - fair enough, the railway has plenty on its plate for the next few years. 'The foreseeable future' - this could mean anything.
Why can't the railway say something along the lines of 'It is our ambition to extend to make connection with the National Network at Honeybourne at some time in the future. This will not happen for perhaps ten years, and depends on many factors, but it is the long-term plan'. This wouldn't commit the railway to anything, but would be a statement of intent.
Your '2030' isn't that far adrift from my guess that hopefully it could and should be happening within a decade. I hope I'm still around to see it!

 

[reddragon]

Its just been announced that Wychavon District Council are to Build the Car Park at Broadway Station.

I am delighted to be able to tell you that Wychavon District Council (Wychavon) approved the construction of a car park at Broadway at their executive meeting on Wednesday 10 January 2018. The funds were allocated to the project and the chief executive was given authority to acquire the land from us and build the car park. Privately I have been advised that it should be open by August 2018.

That's good news for the progression of the station

 

[DCL_Rider]

Its just been announced that Wychavon District Council are to Build the Car Park at Broadway Station.


That's good news for the progression of the station

Indeed. the Video of the council meeting shows some Councillors keen for connection at Honeybourne and even through running from Cheltenham RC to Bridgnorth via Worcester and Kidderminster!
Perhaps the ambiguity by GWSR is trying to see what support (funding) comes forth from local authorities and even NR?!

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Indeed. the Video of the council meeting shows some Councillors keen for connection at Honeybourne and even through running from Cheltenham RC to Bridgnorth via Worcester and Kidderminster!
Perhaps the ambiguity by GWSR is trying to see what support (funding) comes forth from local authorities and even NR?!

Indeed. the Video of the council meeting shows some Councillors keen for connection at Honeybourne and even through running from Cheltenham RC to Bridgnorth via Worcester and Kidderminster! Now that would be good.

 

[reddragon]

Indeed. the Video of the council meeting shows some Councillors keen for connection at Honeybourne and even through running from Cheltenham RC to Bridgnorth via Worcester and Kidderminster!
Perhaps the ambiguity by GWSR is trying to see what support (funding) comes forth from local authorities and even NR?!

With all the hard work to reach Broadway, there are other pressing priorities. There are 2 good reports from yesterdays progress meeting . .

Video 1 contains presentation by Ian Stewart (Volunteer Resources Director), Colin Fewell (Commercial Director) and Richard Johnson (Chairman)

https://youtu.be/uXOky-fFznw

In video 2, Colin Fewell talks about the timetable for 2018 and the plans for Broadway opening weekend and volunteer special trains

https://youtu.be/GP2FlspZRIQ

Apart from the huge unknown of volunteer needs for 2018, Broadway station needs finishing (signals / platform 2 / bridge etc) but also there is a lot of maintenance to catch up on including track renewals and bridge works highlighted on the video and the bridges blog.

The general view is that it will take the railway 5 years to be ready for anything else!

Perhaps if the local councils get together, a plan could be put together to do enabling work to extend the railway, particularly on bridges, clearance, fencing and ownership of the track bed. This could then be followed by a LEP grant to extend.

 

[reddragon]

It looks like extra trains have been added to the Easter weekend. Perhaps pre-bookings are higher than expected!

https://www.gwsr.com/Opening_to_Broadway__30_March_to_2_April_2018--post--45.html

Stop press: We have put in place an additional train service for this period which departs from Cheltenham. We now have trains starting their journies from both Broadway and Cheltenham at 0940, plus a third train starting from Toddington at 1100.

 

[reddragon]

GWR 6023 'King Edward II' is coming to the GWsR in May

https://www.facebook.com/DidcotRailwayCentre/posts/2081313741895503

That should spice things up a bit!

 

[CarltonA]

GWR 6023 'King Edward II' is coming to the GWsR in May.
That should spice things up a bit!

I'm looking forward to that, were Kings often to be seen on the line in days gone by? There wont be much difference in weight between 35006 and 6023, hopefully they will be seen together.

 

[4141]

No, Kings were never seen on that line - Castles were the largest used...

 

[Shenandoah]

When the North Warwickshire line from Tyseley was in the hands of the GWR and in the early days of BR(W) I lived near Shirley and the line was at the bottom of our property, on a low embankment. I saw most classes of GW locomotives plus some the the WD Austerities and for a short period, in the morning, a GWR railcar service from Cardiff. One locomotive class I did not see, I was informed that they were out of gauge for the line, were King class locomotives. Was this prohibition applicable to the whole line or just the northern part , for instance north of Stratford upon Avon?

 

[4141]

When the North Warwickshire line from Tyseley was in the hands of the GWR and in the early days of BR(W) I lived near Shirley and the line was at the bottom of our property, on a low embankment. I saw most classes of GW locomotives plus some the the WD Austerities and for a short period, in the morning, a GWR railcar service from Cardiff. One locomotive class I did not see, I was informed that they were out of gauge for the line, were King class locomotives. Was this prohibition applicable to the whole line or just the northern part , for instance north of Stratford upon Avon?

The whole line down past Cheltenham and Gloucester, and from there to Swindon, Bristol and Cardiff were all out of bounds to Kings as far as I'm aware!

 

[Shenandoah]

Thank you 4141. I guess the new heritage railway had created better clearances now. Besides, the line is only a very short piece compared to the original.

 

[reddragon]

The attendance of the King has been confirmed along with some answers about the only King thought to have traversed the line

http://gwsrsteamloco.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/a-regal-gala-visitor.html
https://www.gwsr.com/enthusiasts/major_events.html

I can now confirm that we are in negotiation with the Didcot Railway Centre, and subject to contract, I am more than a little pleased to be able to present to you the first guest engine that we can announce for the Cotswold Festival of Steam "Give My Regards to Broadway" gala on the 26th - 28th May in the shape of 6023, King Edward II.

It's believed that the only occasion a King has ever run over this route before was a 'positioning move' for No. 6000 King Geoirge V in the mid-1970s.

 

[reddragon]

Online tickets have SOLD OUT for Good Friday!

https://twitter.com/GWSR/status/971395721898446854

Easter Weekend Update: Due to high demand on-line ticket sales have closed for #Broadway Opening for Good Friday (30 Mar). Tickets are still available for the other 3 days. A limited number of tickets will be on sale at the stations on Good Friday. #FirstComeFirstServed

 

[DCL_Rider]

Today, 9th March 2018 7903 Foremarke Hall headed the first steam hauled train into newly rebuilt Broadway station. The purpose was to effect a gauging run with a typical train of 8 coaches.
Video on You Tube

 

[reddragon]

Here is the report: -

http://broadwayextensionblog.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/breaking-news.html

and videos

 

[duffield]

Well done to all. I'll visit as soon as the initial flurry dies down a bit.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Well done to all. I'll visit as soon as the initial flurry dies down a bit.

Me too.

 

[reddragon]

According to the boardroom blog

http://gwrboardroom.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/opening-to-broadway.html

Good Friday is going to be very crowded with day tickets only sold if there is space left on the train!

Parking is plentiful, crowd control / access by ticket only to platforms and 3x 8 car trains.

The next 3 days look OK, for now!

 

[reddragon]

The volunteer trains are running to Broadway today

 

[4141]

A good report on BBC Midlands Today just now, with some nice shots - worth catching on IPlayer later!

 

[reddragon]

I had my ride to Broadway today. 35006 is being used so that the GWR engines are spic & span GW fashion for Easter!

Very smooth track. A bit spooky being in a very new but 100 year old style station!

So many locals & TV crews!

 

[gazthomas]

What a superb achievement! Would a southbound extension to Cheltenham itself be possible?

 

[reddragon]

An extension through Cheltenham is entirely feasible, but due to the scale of the works needed, it probably needs external funding and main contractors for many of the tasks needed to be done.

 

[ABB125]

What a superb achievement! Would a southbound extension to Cheltenham itself be possible?

As far as the Prince of Wales stadium is about doable, but does involve going through Hunting Butts tunnel, the state of which I am not aware of. Beyond the stadium, the trackbed is a cycle path, so further extension would be rather difficult. Besides, one of the old bridges had been replaced with a new pedestrian-style bridge.

 

[reddragon]

The Prince of Wales stadium site has no space for a station or a car park

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

It is still their plan to go on beyond Broadway towards the Oxford/Evesham line & onto Stratford-(Warwickshire)?

 

[reddragon]

I think that once carriage sheds are built, bridges & track works are done and other improvements, plus of course finishing Broadway Station, then options such as double tracking & extending north become an option.

A big dependency is development at Long Marston and the potential to re-open Stratford to Honeybourne as a main line by NR.