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GWSR General Discussion and Operations

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by michaelh, Aug 25, 2013.

  1. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Indeed, not sure how that happened, I now see why you thought it was a bit steep! BOC clearly not on the ball, please do write, make sure to say when and where you bought the ticket.
     
  2. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    And there are still some of us who are very keen to go to Broadway this year but haven't made it yet. I've no enthusiasm to make a 360-mile round trip in my non-air conditioned car until it's somewhat cooler - not to mention the fact that my favourite member of the GWSR fleet isn't going to rostered for a while yet
     
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  3. burnettsj

    burnettsj Member

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    I was driving 4270 yesterday, and it certainly didn't feel like we had ages at Toddington from my persepective. In that time we had to: Return the Broadway staff, Water the engine, fill our water bottles, and convince some of the coal to go near the hatch in the bunker.
     
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  4. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

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    This visitor found that slot in mid journey extremely frustrating as dead time in a time constrained visit. With the pathing restrictions that dictate the run round times at each end, the timetable meant that I couldn’t visit the whole line but had to choose one or other half. I hope to get to Cheltenham on another visit, if I can make the opportunity.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
  5. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Hopefully when the signalling is commissioned at Broadway loco crews won't have to faff around returning staffs to machines at the far end of the other platform which should save some time. I wonder whether we need to think about water provision a bit more too? Tender locos seem to be fine just watering at Cheltenham once every round trip, so no problem. but 4270 can't do that. Taking water mid-journey is annoying, so do we want to look into water at Broadway? Or decide that we don't really want to use tank engines regularly? I'd certainly prefer any breaks to be at one end of the line or the other (preferably Broadway - most people travelling to Cheltenham want to go straight back again, and there'll be a cafe at Broadway for food). All way above my pay grade of course, and these matters are being considered. I'm looking forward to seeing next year's timetables now we know what we're doing a bit more.
     
  6. Kinghambranch

    Kinghambranch Well-Known Member

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    42xxs weren't known as "water carts" for nothing. Only 1800 gallons to play with.
     
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  7. Kinghambranch

    Kinghambranch Well-Known Member

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    That'll be 76077 then.
     
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  8. burnettsj

    burnettsj Member

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    Personally, I enjoy a turn on a tank engine so I wouldn't want us to only use engines with more than say 3000 gallons capacity. I agree though the Broadway signalling should help things. Also in normal weather we should have enough drink with us.
     
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  9. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    NevilleKing, marshall5, AndyY and 3 others like this.
  10. JayDee

    JayDee Member

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    Hullo, as I am coming to your lovely looking railway this Sunday (2nd Sept), what engines will be running?
     
  11. Kje7812

    Kje7812 Part of the furniture

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  12. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Does anyone out there have train/loco information for Sat 1st?

    I know which three locos should be on the services but it's which loco is linked to each of the Steam 1, 2, 3 rosters that would be useful so as to plan the trains to pick up.
     
  13. 45076

    45076 Member

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    Usually as per the roster, so 35006 on 1, 2807 on 2 and 4270 on 3.
     
  14. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    It should be 35006 on train 1, 2807 on train 2 and 4270 on train 3 on the Saturday
     
  15. JayDee

    JayDee Member

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  16. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Many thanks to both. Logical really but appreciated nonetheless.
     
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  17. jnc

    jnc Well-Known Member

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    I thought the construction of the crash barrier for the bridge at Broadway was supposed to start in August, but I haven't seen anything yet. Anyone local know what's up? Ta!

    Noel
     
  18. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    The start will now take place in September. It's been delayed a bit as we did not want to block the road while there were events in town.
     
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  19. Breva

    Breva Well-Known Member

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    But we are getting on with the Broadway footbridge steps. A modest amount of cash has been made available, and a small team of 3 is cracking on, two days a week.

    IMG_20180817_150308120.jpg
    These are the 4 stringers, cut to size and laid out for inspection last week.

    IMG_20180827_143741352.jpg

    These are the two intermediary supports, that hold up the landing half way up the stairs.

    So far everything is being cut to size and temporarily bolted together. The steel will then be sent away to be zinc plated, to prevent the corrosion problems that affected the HIA footbridge. The HIA stringers were rusted right through the web in places!

    The pieces will then be rivetted together.
     
  20. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    I have to admit, rather sheepishly, that today was my first visit to the GWSR. Don't ask me why it has taken so long but I now realise what a gem I have been missing. I based my day around a Toddington start that proved to be a good call. You can't fail to be impressed by the set-up there. A really good visitor experience from the point of view of parking and facilities including food. I also elected to switch trains at Gotherington that I would otherwise have missed. An absolute delight of a location. And there were three locos to savour.

    I have to say that with track and other infrastructure maintenance also taking place on my visit, it was rather curious to see vehicles parked on the formation. That said, how convenient for teams to have easy access to the parallel trackbed. And after all the on-line argument about the design of Broadway station, I have to say that it wasn't obvious what all the fuss was about. The signage and colour scheme told me that it was Great Western and that was good enough for me.

    But having said that I'm not a rivet counter, I must say that the GWSR seems to have accumulated quite a 'rag, tag and bobtail' set of mileposts along the line's length. There are those lovely new ones on the final few miles approaching Broadway that I presume will be the template for the rest of the line? I hope so, as the rest of the line comprises an eclectic mix of old, new, fallen, missing and neglected posts not to mention those hidden in the undergrowth.

    A great day and worth revisiting. Three pictures attached.
    P1090801.JPG P1090804A.jpg
    P1090787.JPG
     
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