Avon Valley Railway Updates and Videos

I would say with a lot of hard work, some cash and a bit of luck and skill it’s perfectly plausible to turn things around both loco wise and generally. Plenty of examples of lines that have been in the shadows for many a year but have enjoyed a renaissance on the last few years (Embsay for example).

 

Good points. I volunteered on the Avon Valley for over 30 years, brilliant people in the engineering department, but only a few of them, and because of their skills, they'd get called onto other work, distracting from loco repairs and restoration to go and sort other things. For example a new ground frame configuration and facing point lock assembly as happened in the 1990s when I was Ops Manager there, distracting the CME from restoration work on the RSH side tank loco and running repairs to Littleton No. 5

 

Yes, it is. Do donate if you can!

 

Thanks, that'd be great! Can you DM me your email address?

 

No, Littleton needs the most work of the AVRHT engines. We are hoping to finish the Avonside first - details here about how far we've got : Avonside — Avon Valley Railway Heritage Trust

 

Me too! But it can only grow with more volunteers. We've had a good influx in engineering and operations in recent years to the point where it looks like the engineers might be able to get back on with engineering! The railway has struggled extending in the past - it took 15 years just to get to Oldland Common (neighbours!) and then another 12 to get to Avon Riverside. After that attention was diverted to the buffet, but we lost momentum with extending. It's more difficult now than it was with environmental regulations about tree loss and the busy cycle path to contend with. However extending to Kelston river bridge with push-pull operations could be quite straightforward. Then work to overhaul the river bridge (it was replaced in 1935 and is in reasonable condition) and recreate a station with loop at Kelston-for-Saltford where run round, running line, platform, and cycle path can all be accommodated alongside each other thanks to a wide formation.

Kelston-for-Saltford would make a great destination, it's only another mile beyond Riverside but has a pretty village, pubs, a muesum, a marina, and lovely riverside walks. The ultimate destination could be Newbridge on the edge of Bath which would be transformational (a la the Gwili's Camarthen link but with an international tourist market on the doorstep) but that's just an aspiration.

But come and join and you can make it happen! DM your email address?

 

Yes, that still happens. Too few volunteers and too many challenges!