GWSR Broadway Developments

Indeed, but I think it's really a place for a half day visit.

A morning visit for a stroll round including coffee, or an afternoon stroll round including afternoon tea, or an 11-3ish visit including lunch. The morning and afternoon visits might be part of a day out visiting other nearby places ( Stow, Chipping Camden, Blockley, the Lavender Farm, Rare Breeds Survival Trust at Adam's Farm, Bourton-on-the Water, Moreton in Marsh, the Slaughters etc).

A ride on the train as well as the stroll round and morning coffee or afternoon tea would turn that half day visit into a full day based on Broadway - clearly only a proportion of Broadway visitors will go for that.

 

Lucky you. I've yet to sample a grand day out at the Festival!

 

how far is the station from the town? are there plans for a bus link between the station and the town to connect with the train service? as people may be put off from walking , even if its a short distance, especially as Broadway station won't be completed for a while after the service starts, is there a local bus company that the railway can get a tie in with, if its one that can offer the tours mentioned such as to bourton on the water etc, picking up and setting down on certain services, then all the better, racecourse is only goint to attract extra custom when there is something on, so prehaps some travel plus admition may be an idea if its not already being offered to try and get trade from the broadway end, obviously the festival is something very different with a totally different market, but again if people are there they could be a target market, if an up market one , i would be looking at how many FO's the railway has in traffic and could you assemble an mostly all first rake for the festival traffic and if you can offer an at seat drink and light snack service and a full dining service evenings , to make the most income from the festival as long as costs dont exceed income

 

Broadway station isn't *too* far from Broadway, but compared to Winchcombe it's virtually on the doorstep! There has been talk of a shuttle bus service between the town centre and station on high days, and I can see this being popular especially if it's a nice heritage bus.

As for Cheltenham, I'm hopeful that the extension to Broadway might be useful persuasion to get the every 10 minutes D busy to stop right by the station at the racecourse rather than at the entrance about 15 mins walk away which will hopefully encourage more people to come by rail as well, as it'll be station door to station door with a very good service frequency.

We've only got one FO Martin that we've almost finished restoring. However, we already do an at seat drinks and light snacks service for the race trains and do rather well out of it! Given it's such a popular and proven model, I'm not sure there's much merit in changing that drastically, and I wouldn't have thought there'd be time for a full dining service on a one way trip. Worth bearing in mind that for many, travelling on a steam train is secondary to not having to negotiate the Cheltenham traffic jams as well.

 

When the NYMR extended services to Whitby, it was hoping to tap into a big market from there. The reality is that, although this has happened, it has not been to the extent that was expected. What has happened is that people going for a day trip to Whitby from the south are abandoning their cars in Pickering and combining a trip on the Railway with a day in Whitby rather than driving their. I can see something similar happening when Broadway opens; people will combine a trip on the railway with a visit to Broadway and starting at Cheltenham. I'd be doubtful of a huge amount of traffic originating in Broadway unless good morning weather deteriorates into a wet afternoon and families need to find something to do.

 

Alex, what i had in mind is an evening dining service only on one day of the festival running CRC to Broadway and back , one round trip but as you say, it depends on having the clientel who would be prepared to pay for what would have to be a high class service . a heritage coach that calls that broadway stn Broadwat town, then goes off the the likes of bourton or other places of interest i think would be something that sounds interesting

 

A full dining train is an awfully long way off yet Martin, we simply don't have much suitable rolling stock since the elegant excursions coaches were sold off.

 

Dare I say it but you are both IMHO verging on being obsessed with bus services. Most visitors to Broadway will go by private car and the majority of the remainder by motor coach excursions. The former,if they have any interest in trains, will simply get into their cars and drive to the nearest terminus be it at Broadway or wherever. Where the excursion passengers are concerned it is the operators who need to be convinced.Within reason the passengers simply go where they are taken but most are unlikely to stray too far from the coach, save in an organised group.

Then.as you will know, I tend to think extensions are motivated by W.I.B.N. more than anything else.

PH

 

At Broadway I agree, a bus service would be nice, but I don't think I'm getting obsessed by it. I think the biggest boon at the Broadway end will be coach parties, and as you say, they'll just get in their coach and go down the road to visit.

At Cheltenham I really do believe having the bus come to the station will improve links with the mainline. To me a 15 minute walk isn't that much trouble, but for plenty of people who use public transport, especially those who have no choice but to do so, it is significant, especially as the walk involves racecourse hill.

 

I'd be willing to put on a small wager that, when the traffic pattern settles down after a couple of years, a lot of the excursion / coach trip traffic will be one way - i.e. either the coach will drop a coach load of passengers off at CRC, they'll go to Broadway by train, have a couple of hours in the village and then on to the next destination by coach; or vice versa - a morning in the village; concierge ushers them to the station where they go to CRC and the bus picks them up for their next visit. The trick will be trying to make that traffic balance out in each direction.

Tom

 

I reckon that, like me. you only bet on certainties.

 

I think you're absolutely right Tom, and we need to make sure timetables are written with this in mind.

 

I've always agreed with you Paul that many extensions are WIBN, but I really don't think the Broadway extension can be classified in that. Yes of course it *will* be nice, but it'll be worthwhile too, and the rest of the railway hasn't suffered very much as a result either which you often point to as a reason; I can give you several examples of major and minor things that have been improved on the railway in the last few years if you like.

 

Along with three Hurdles and a Water Jump. Or am I getting confused with Aintree? I keep having Flashbacks to the LP of Blaster Bates and 'The Naming of Knicker Brook'.

Whilst giving thanks for the advice and suggestions, what is not fully appreciated is the 'Business Model' for the Cheltenham race events. Essentially, the GWSR Railway does not 'sell' any tickets. It 'sells' the train(s) to a Hospitality provider,

http://www.classichospitality.co.uk/travel.php

who then package together things such as travel, accommodation, transfers, venue seating, etc. It is they who then provide the 'customers' that board the trains on those days. They pay a fee regardless of how many places they sell.

As to then having those self same 'customers' aboard for an 'Evening Diner', many are in such a state as to be better not seen until the following day.

As to Broadway itself. A Google Maps search will put the 'marker' at the High St/Leamington Rd junction. Now, other than anyone that has an interest in a Building Supplier or Social Housing, there is only one direction in which to go. i.e. Towards the Station. The attractions at Broadway are basically 'linear'. They extend from approx 800m from the Station towards the centre of the village.

There is a 'bus service, which the tabulated version might not appear in a cohesive format.
Broadway, adj Wells Gardens 07:55 09:11 10:56 12:50 14:58 16:10 17:28
Broadway, opp The Lygon Arms 07:59 09:15 11:00 12:54 15:02 16:14 17:32
Broadway, adj Caravan Site 08:02 09:17 11:02 12:56 15:04 16:16 17:34

The Station being opposite to 'adj Caravan Site'.

Interestingly, the reverse journey,

Wickhamford, opp Murcot Turn 07:45 08:51 10:39 12:28 14:41 15:58 17:21
Broadway, adj The Lygon Arms 08:58 10:44 12:38 14:46 16:03
Broadway, opp Wells Gardens 09:00 10:46 12:40 14:48 16:05

does not show a stop 'adj Caravan Site'. However, I'm sure such could be accomplished with negotiation.

 

Now you mention it I'm not too keen on the thought of subjecting first class carriages to very inebriated passengers!

We do of course sell all the drinks etc with volunteers on the train, that's nothing to do with classic hospitality, and a tidy profit we make too!

 

Is there parking at Cheltenham Racecourse Station for the G&WR?

 

Yes, I forget exactly how big but big enough.

 

Does anyone know the details of why the cost went up to 400K? I haven't seen anything which explains why it went up. (Note: I am not sniping at anyone on the GWSR here. I'm simply curious about the technical details.) Somehow I doubt it was that they decided to retain the double-track formation!

Noel

 

Not relevant to broadway but I heard Malvern road shed got demolished, a shame as it was a rare design. Did the gwsr manage to save anything? the vale of Berkeley railway saved some iron columns.

 

All I was going on was the number of visitors to the mentioned railways and how they have been able to attract those numbers.... granted that the BB have moved up in the numbers league but the others you mention are not as popular as those mentioned...and I back up that statement by the number of passengers that have been reported at each railway.