Extension Projects

Without going down the WIBN rabbit hole, there are a lot of significant extension projects that have recently completed or are making tangible progress - many congratulations to those who made this happen. I get real enjoyment out of seeing these projects develop from an idea through to fruition (and yes, I do contribute and visit where possible), as I expect do many others (I guess it's the sense of putting something back that we feel should never have been taken away).

Many of these projects will complete in the next couple of years, so what have I missed (in my list below) and what else might be on the cards?

Bluebell - East Grinstead
Peak Rail - Matlock Town
CVR/MCR - Cauldon (Stoke?)
Llangollen - Corwen
Swanage - Wareham
Rother Valley - Robertsbridge
Great Central - Bridging the Gap
GWR - Broadway
Gwili - Carmarthen North
Mid-Norfolk - County School
Wensleydale - Northallerton?
CHR - Oswestry
Strathspey - Grantown
North-Norfolk - Holt Town?
S&D (Midsomer Norton) - Chilcompton cutting
L&B - Wistlandpound

 

Telford Steam Railway - extended northwards, now looking south.

Steve B

 

Bala Lake to Bala town centre

 

Wensleydale Railway already runs to Northallerton but has issues with a bridge. It is trying to extend from Redmire to Aysgarth.

 

If Narrow Gauge is included, Apedale Valley Light Railway phases 3 and 4. Details here, although I don't know the timescale.

http://mrt.apedale.co.uk/avlr1.php

 

South Tynedale to Slaggyford.

 

Depends how far you want to look back, Peak Rail have been at Matlock town for a good few years now.

 

Epping Ongar Railway into Epping itself

Steve B

 

CVR want to extend North into Leek, but the Council keep finding reasons to stop us.
Sister Company MCR are looking to re-open the mothballed Stoke line, and then fully refurbish the line to Cauldon for freight purposes. They are in negotiations with Network Rail, as for timeframe how long is a piece of string?

Should the Stoke line & Cauldon re-opening come off, CVR have stated a desire to re-open to Waterhouses (which isn't too complex) off the Cauldon Branch.
MCR have also stated an intention to look into re-opening from the CVR current Southern terminus to Alton Towers. I'm sceptical on this one, but have to see how it unfolds.

 

Corris to Esgairceiliog

 

Kirby Stephen East - Warcop - Appleby?

 

On a smaller scale, but it's taken 25 frustrating years (at least) but the C&PR finally getting to Princes Risborough is a major achievement requiring NR running powers. The bay at PR (once the buddleia was cut back) was in better condition than expected too....

 

Swindon and Cricklade - a short extension south from Taw Valley Halt to a new station at Mouldon Hill. Also a northward extension towards Cricklade. http://www.swindon-cricklade-railway.org/line.php#top

 

Bluebell - Ardingly (one day)
(and - probably realistically in the realms of WIBN - Haywards Heath?)

Here we go again...

 

Would you include, starting in the south West.

Helston railways extension.
Bodmin to wadebridge
Wsr to Taunton
The Vale of Berkeley railway
Aln Valley railway

 

This is the thread for WIBNs

https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/long-potential-extensions.447338/

PS. I like WIBNs, as long as people are honest about them.

 

ELR to Castleton.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

If we are speaking of narrow gauge:
Southwold railway: not an extension in the traditional sense but they have just purchased the land to site their engine shed and station in southwold, so I imagine they will be getting on with creating the track layout in that area. Here's one of their latest blogs on the land purchase https://www.southwoldrailway.co.uk/trust-buys-southwold-site/, the first trackbed extension would be southwold to Walberswick bridge I imagine.

Leiston works railway (standard gauge): long shop museum to master lord industrial estate near leiston station.

Don't think anyone's mentioned the mid suffolk light railway extension to wilby halt.

 

Bowes - getting back over the level crossing, back to Wrekenton loop. Roughly 1 mile.
Needing neW level crossing order
Repairs to fencing
Upgrading four pedestrian crossings
Installation of facing point locks and ground frame.
General repairs to existing track and platforms.