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GWSR Broadway Developments

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Breva, Aug 1, 2014.

  1. The Dainton Banker

    The Dainton Banker Well-Known Member

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    Whilst I'm on this thread, what is happening about the station bridge ? We were told in July that it had been placed in the wrong position and that this affected the extensions to the station canopy. At the time PaulK (message #930) said "To my mind, the way forward would be to recast the footbridge tower foundations in the correct position and to then lift the bridge to the correct position using the crane that would be needed to install the footsteps and canopy extension. I am of cause concerned that funds and materials already used on building the canopy extension components will be wasted if not used." This seemed a sensible and cheap solution to the problem but we have heard nothing more on the subject, despite it being of major concern at the time.
    With the tracklaying about to come through the station there is little time left to move the bridge, but I've seen no mention of it.
     
  2. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    If Honeybourne happens..... Beyond shared station facilities and a mainline link for transfer between G-WR and the big railway, would the running line need sharing arrangements (like the Swanage at Wareham), or would it be seperate alongside NR (like the Spa Valley at Eridge)?
     
  3. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    I *think* the latter, certainly I've never heard any mention of having to run on NWR metals and all the extra faff, so I'd assume not. Don't quote me though :)

    Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
     
  4. The Dainton Banker

    The Dainton Banker Well-Known Member

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    Seperate, unless there is traffic for the Long Marston branch, which AIUI is not currently operational.
     
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  5. jnc

    jnc Well-Known Member

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    But that would only be into Cheltenham, not through Cheltenham. So for those who want to see a connection to the national network, a Cheltenham extension of that form doesn't do much.

    Noel
     
  6. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    I suspect if that line ever sees passenger services again, it'll be as part of the big railway.
    Website for reinstatement (last update Jan 2016):
    http://avonraillink.btck.co.uk/
    Website against reopening (last update Jan 2015):
    http://noavonline.co.uk/
     
  7. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    Is part of the challenge that the GWSR don't own the trackbed , instead its Sustrans who may wish to have their own settlement (cyclepath Broadway to toddington ?)
     
  8. Greenway

    Greenway Part of the furniture

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    That may happen if a wanabee Prime Minister & Co. get their chance. :D
     
  9. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    - Don't believe any numbers about Honeybourne. When we argued for the heritage canopy, we were told it would be £80.000 more expensive, then £100.000 In reality, it was much cheaper than the design we were fighting. These numbers are advanced to discourage you.
    - There is never any need to extend. But we are there to save the Honeybourne line, as much of it as possible.
    - A factor not yet mentioned is the possible public reinstatement of Honeybourne - Stratford, or a lesser project, Honeybourne - Long Marston, part funded by the developers of the huge housing build that is planned there. If the line to Stratford is reinstated, or part reinstated, our going to Honeybourne too has a stronger case.
    - To the best of my knowledge the railway would have to maintain all 9 of the bridges to Honeybourne. Two are currently propped. They were built in the days of horses and carts; today 40 ton artics use them, there are no weight limits imposed (!). No other maintenance has been done to them since closure. Most are road over rail bridges.
    - The terrain is indeed simple and flat. Principal cost items would be track, ballast and the bridge repairs. The only intermediate station (Weston Subedge) is not worth reinstating. Bridges to Broadway cost £500.000 for 5 bridges (4 in reasonable condition, one in poor condition)
    - You don't have to do it all at once. Do it in bite sized pieces. Start with Willersey, a mile away, two bridges, only a halt to rebuild, use a DMU shuttle from Broadway. Willersey is picturesque, near the halt, has two pubs and a duck pond. Worth getting off for.

    Here's a first for you, haven't had a chance to put it on the blog yet. Honeybourne is beyond the fence :) IMG_4501.JPG
     
  10. michaelh

    michaelh Part of the furniture

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    Responsibility for bridges and their maintenance passes to the Highways Authority if it adopts them. In this case it could be Worcestershire County Council and/or Gloucestershire County Council (unless any of them carry the A46 which is a trunk road and the responsibility of the DfT) depending upon the location of said bridges. If they have not been adopted, they are the responsibility of the owner of the trackbed. The owner of the trackbed could request the Highways Authority to impose a weight restriction on the bridge.
     
  11. michaelh

    michaelh Part of the furniture

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    But not that accessible from the motorway
     
  12. Kinghambranch

    Kinghambranch Well-Known Member

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    This would not have been the case in 1979-80 of course when the entire line was disposed of by British Rail if the GWSR had bought more trackbed, but the GWSR could only really afford to lease and then buy the section of trackbed (all the double track was removed by BR despite the GWSR attempting to buy it with track in situ - too expensive!) from Swindon Lane Bridge just south of Hunting Butts Tunnel to just south of the overbridge north of Broadway Stn, now clearly delineated by a security fence across the formation. Even this length of trackbed was considered by many to be far too much and, indeed it has taken from 1980 to 2017 to reinstate track and stations etc from an almost derelict site. What if? Well, we are where we are and hindsight is a wonderful thing. It is unlikely that the line will ever extend either north or south but it was unlikely that I would ever see SR Merchant Navy No 35018 pulling into York station on the last day of September in 2017, but I did!
     
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  13. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    That was the story before, iirc Sustrans even tried negotiating a cycle path between Bishops Cleeve and the Racecourse as part of a deal to allow access before they had taken ownership and that soured relationships somewhat. That was a fair few years ago now but one fact that does remain is that the GWSR doesn't own the track bed, Sustrans does.
     
  14. steamdream

    steamdream Member

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    So!never the GWRS no will extend for ever!the die is cast
     
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  15. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    From personal experience and from what I've seen elsewhere, Sustrans seem very territorial and none too easy to negotiate with. I wonder whether horsey types have better relations with them than anyone else? For that matter, do any other cycling groups?

    What I originally took to be a broadly based transport grouping using contraction of 'Sustainable Transport' looks more like a purely one flavour (and decidedly militant) pressure group, whose title actually seems more likely to come from 'S■d Uvva Sorts of Transport' as they appear to consider nowt without human plus pedal and chain drive. Even then, only when fully signed up to their articles of faith.

    If that sounds a bit jaundiced, you try any sort of meaningful dialogue with 'em! Back when I was fit enough, I chose to cycle on all possible occasions, but several contacts over the last few years with that lot left me feeling like some unclean outcast in denial of their "true faith". It's like talking to members of a cult!

    If the G-WR have to negotiate with 'Sustrans', I'd urge them to consider matters like a mix of chess and poker, then wish them all the luck in the world...... they'll need it!
     
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  16. Gloucester Boy

    Gloucester Boy New Member

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    One of our regular volunteers, who sometimes also works on Saturdays, is trying his hand at assisting with the blogging. He worked yesterday and has put a short blog about what happened here: http://broadwaystationgroup.blogspot.co.uk/ as the blogging rotates through various volunteers, I'm not sure if there will be a regular Saturday blog.
     
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  17. mattspencer

    mattspencer Well-Known Member

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    Yes it is. There are fairly regular movements of stock going in and out of storage at Long Marston.
     
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  18. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    It looks unlikely that they will move the bridge to the correct position, as the PWay are about to built the track through the place where the crane stood that placed it. There is no time and no money to move it.
    We will try to come up with a pragmatic design that integrates canopy and footbridge steps, yet still looks as if it was designed that way, in the much shorter space that was left. (4m instead of the original 7m). I am quietly confident that a good design will emerge.
     
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  19. Kinghambranch

    Kinghambranch Well-Known Member

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    I'm more than happy to be corrected but I understood that the local council owned the land but that it is leased to Sustrans as the preferred "operator." I was also led to believe that, unfortunately Sustrans does not want (or cannot meet) the responsibility of maintaining the route and keeping the trackbed drained and cleared of vegetation, hence the need for the GWSR bogs and drains team to head slightly (with permission) north of the GWSR boundary earlier this year (or last, not sure, but its in their blog somewhere) to effect repairs to the knackered drainage system that would otherwise have impeded works at the current northern limit of the GWSR line. Again, if this is not so, I'm very happy to be told otherwise.
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2017
  20. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    I'm not sure tbh regarding ownership- it was some years ago now when the Cheltenham extension was being built but certainly Sustrans tried negotiating for a cycle path using the section to Honeybourne before any lease or ownership changes.
     

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