Cholsey and Wallingford

It was a help as I couldn't access the FB page.. Many thanks for re-posting it.
Ray.

 

Thank you.
It remains unexplained why some who have no facebook accounts can access it and others can't.

 

Quick update as we get ready to reopen this weekend!

A huge amount of work has been undertaken to get Wallingford Station ready for passenegers this weekend and although it is by no means finished, it has been trasformed by the additon of the canopy since we last ran trains 18 months ago! See a couple of images attached. We are starting slowly with diesel trains on Sunday and Monday for which pre-booking is essential (and only a few tickets remain). After a well earned week off we are back with the Sentinel running on Sunday 13 and 20th June - again advanced booking will be essential.

Then we are very excited to welcome 4612 for a few weeks to oficially open the canopy on June 26/7th thanks to the Bodmin and Wenford Railway. She will be staying into July hauling trains on most weekends including a small beer festival on 10/11th July. Really looking forward to seeing the Pannier under the canopy with our two chocolate and cream MkI's, which have recevied a huge amount of work over the last year and look much better for it.

Perhaps not of massive interest to enthusiasts, but we have just announced the Polar Express will be running from Wallingford this Christmas! We are really excited about this event as it will be a huge step up in terms of visitor experience - it will certainly be a busy Novemmber and December on the branch!

 

very nice!

 

That's great news. Perhaps when things have settled a little you could provide an update on the work that has been done to the station site over the last 1-2 years and also to the rolling stock?

 

Just a quick update to say that 4612 has arrived and was in use last weekend on crew training and our sold out Father's Day trains. Thanks to Bodmin for letting us borrow this lovely Pannier tank which looks really at home on the branch. The grand opening of the former Maidenhead canopy is this Friday for VIPs and volunteers only sadly - I'll post some photos of the Pannier under the canopy next week after the ribbon cutting.

We will be running public trains this Saturday and Sunday (26/7th June) and have space on both days at the moment - because of Covid all tickets must be booked in advance and start from Wallingford. To secure your ride behind 4612 head to https://www.cholsey-wallingford-railway.com/buy-tickets

The full list of 4612 operating days is:
Saturday and Sunday 26/7th June
Sunday 4th July
Saturday 10th July + evening beer trains
Sunday 18th July
Sunday 25th July

 

Tim Dunn has been down to Wallingford and posted these photos: https://twitter.com/MrTimDunn/status/1408453244968394756

 

So proud of our little line this weekend. We officially opened the Maidenhead canopy at the new Wallingford Station on Friday with 'Railway Royalty' including Sir Peter Hendy, Tim Dunn, Lady McAlpine, Mark Hopwood, Lord Bradshaw and of course many of our amazing volunteers! We've still got lots to do, but there is a great can do attitude around the place at the moment and some great people. Oh and we sold over 4000 tickets in the first 6 hours for Polar Express too!

Pictures below include our President Mark Hopwood (GWR MD) in front of 4612 and Sir Peter Hendy being interviewed by the BBC at Cholsey. There should be an item about the canopy going out on BBC South Today on Monday.

 

well done to all concerned, it looks superb.

 

Doesn't it just? Particularly nice to see pride in the line's traditional moniker demonstrated on that headboard.

 

Great stuff. I visited with my wife Sunday. Volunteers lovely; GWR Pannier and chocolate and cream 2 coach set looked superb. We enjoyed cake and coffee pre ordered on the train. The canopy and platform furniture looks great. Well done C and W.

Few shots attached; only on iPhone as in the excitement forgot to pack camera. After our trip we walked the path back to Cholsey (which is line side for some way) with the delight of the train passing us.

 

Nice bit of coverage on BBC South Today. Scroll to 09:41 in www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000xjk1

 

It looks really good station. It makes the station suddenly look like it’s on a big railway but still like a branch line. I expect the south Devon railway would like to get ther or hands on that.

 

A few pictures from 4612’s cab on Sunday 4 July


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Lovely pictures, well done to you and the railway. Great to see that Standard car too!

 

The charter was my first visit to the line. Echo everything Martin says - Canopy can be the launch pad for a really good terminus, super friendly staff. Great afternoon out.

 

Thanks Martin, We really enjoyed running the charter and I hope we can do a few more in the future. I've seen some really brilliant pictures of a very memorable day (attached is one by one of our members Phil Warrington). I was lucky to do quite a bit of the firing and pottering back and forth with the goods in the evening sunshine will live long in the memory!

 

08 / 08 /2021 - "08 Day"

If you love 08 locomotives, then our "08 day" on 8th August will be your ideal day out.

With all three locos running (subject to availability).

Tickets are guaranteed on your booked service and are valid all day provided there is space and we can follow our social distancing guidelines.

Additional tickets now available for boarding at Cholsey.

Advance booking required:
https://www.cholsey-wallingford-railway.com/buy-tickets