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Cholsey and Wallingford

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by m wainwright, Dec 18, 2017.

  1. marshall5

    marshall5 Well-Known Member

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

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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

    Autotank Member

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    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!
     

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  4. Bikermike

    Bikermike Well-Known Member

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    very nice!
     
  5. ghost

    ghost Part of the furniture

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    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?
     
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  6. Autotank

    Autotank Member

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    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
     

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  7. Paul Grant

    Paul Grant Well-Known Member

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  8. Autotank

    Autotank Member

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    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.
     

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  9. Matt78

    Matt78 Well-Known Member

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    well done to all concerned, it looks superb.
     
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  10. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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

    Devonbelle New Member

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    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.
     

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  12. Autotank

    Autotank Member

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  13. City of truro fan

    City of truro fan Member

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    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.
     
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  14. middy

    middy New Member

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


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  15. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    Made my first visit to the railway on Friday for one of my 30742 Charters photo events . A massive thank you to @Autotank for all his help in setting up the event and all the volunteers who created a very enjoyable afternoon and evening

    The pot of tea in the break was very welcome and served in china tea cups was a first for us

    I have to say Wallingford Canopy is wonderful and lifts the station massively . With Stoke Canon Signal box (Hopefully) on the way it has the makings of a GWR Branch line terminus with a charm all of its own .

    [​IMG]30742 Charters - 4612 at Cholsey & Wallingford by Martin Creese, on Flickr

    at our first location a Gentleman had very kindly brought his 1947 Standard 8 along which made a very pleasant scene

    [​IMG]30742 Charters - 4612 at Cholsey & Wallingford by Martin Creese, on Flickr

    [​IMG]30742 Charters - 4612 at Cholsey & Wallingford by Martin Creese, on Flickr

    The forecast gave us a cloudy day , the sun had other ideas and aeolong the line their are some nice branch line cameos

    [​IMG]30742 Charters - 4612 at Cholsey & Wallingford by Martin Creese, on Flickr

    We swopped to the goods for the evening and having paid respects to Dame Agatha , the sun popped out again

    [​IMG]30742 Charters - 4612 at Cholsey & Wallingford by Martin Creese, on Flickr
     
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  16. Vulcan Works

    Vulcan Works Member

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

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    For their first photo charter , all involved did a fabulous job . We are lucky as many lines really warmly welcome us , and Cholsey was no exception . 4612 looked so much at home with a couple of chocolate cream carriages and we were pondering the last steam hauled freight train on the Wallingford line

    I do get the feeling the Maidenhead canopy could be the springboard to launch them forward. The rebuild is truly fabulous and well worth seeing . With Didcot and Chinnor in close proximity there is a really nice trio of GWR locations that should draw people into visit , close to London , Home Counties and Birmingham .

    Before the evening session quite a lot of us made a small detour in the church yard to pay our respects to Agatha Christie . You sense a little GWR halt near the church with access onto the footpath could again change the dynamic even further .
     
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  18. ChuffChuff

    ChuffChuff Member

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    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.
     
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  19. Autotank

    Autotank Member

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    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!
     

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  20. CholseyWallingfordMedia

    CholseyWallingfordMedia New Member

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    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
     

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