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Stratford broadway railway society?

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Gav106, Sep 30, 2010.

  1. Gav106

    Gav106 Well-Known Member

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    Does anyone know whats happened to this group? last i read in a magazine they were moving from long marston to near bristol?
     
  2. Kinghambranch

    Kinghambranch Well-Known Member

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    Yes, it would be interseting to know as they seem to have disappeared. I was a member of the Society for a few years but their communication seemed to dry up and I couldn't get down there often enough to help. They were going to rtelocate to the old Sharpness Branch at Berkeley but that seems to have withered in the current austere climate. I believe their rolling stock is still at Long Marston (which has become a busy storage depot) but someone else might have more up to date information.
     
  3. cunghuong

    cunghuong New Member

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    I am having the same question! Anyone knows about this?
     
  4. SpudUk

    SpudUk Well-Known Member

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    They should come near me and restore the Devizes Branch from Holt to Sells Green...I want to do it in narrow gauge but no-one would help me out!

    In other news, I'd like to know whats happened to them too!
     
  5. sjbarratt

    sjbarratt New Member

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    As one of the few remaining volunteers working at Long Marston, and editor of the SBR's magazine Shakespeare Express, I can tell you that our plans are still (9 February 2011) to relocate to Sheerness. Unfortunately, I will not be transferring with the rolling stock, in spite of having spent many happy hours restoring various vehicles. It's just too far. I was not involved in the decision to relocate, but I can understand the reasons why. We have been unable to arrange for public access to our site, which means that we have been unable to generate either local interest or revenue. No timetable has yet been established for the move. We were able to supply three passenger coaches for the Long Marston Open weekend, organised by MotoRail Logistics, on 6/7 June 2009. However, those coaches now need sprucing up, but they will have to wait until we have brought our other coaches up to passenger-carrying condition.

    Does that answer your (and others') questions?
     
  6. 1472

    1472 Well-Known Member

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    Sheerness or Sharpness? - there is quite a difference!
     
  7. sjbarratt

    sjbarratt New Member

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    Glad somebody read this, and spotted my deliberate mistake. I did, of course, mean Sharpness, the Ness near Bristol. But Sharp or Sheer, it's still too far for me to travel.
     
  8. Gav106

    Gav106 Well-Known Member

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    well what i dont understand is why you cant stay where you are but get the track into honeybourne station where the gwsr will eventually go to. you could start with just a couple of lengths of track in the far platform with one of your coaches. and try to head to the junction and join up with your section. then you could run trains and get the station in a decent state. with the double tracking goin on on that line it would be great as people could go to your line from the network. then you could head south to broadway like you original.plan this way you can keep.all.the stock you have.
     
  9. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    Maybe that is part of the problem. They wont make Broadway as the GWR are rapidly heading there and don't appear to be hanging about with plans for a mainline connection, I believe that as part of the double tracking project the GWR are receiving a Platform provsions at Honeybourne to connect into.
     
  10. sjbarratt

    sjbarratt New Member

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    If only! We have at least two problems. As I mentioned, we haven't been able to get the public into our site, so we haven't been able to generate any revenue. Also, there are only four of us who turn up on a regular basis to do all the work needed to get our rolling stock up to scratch and to run the operation. Also, we only have one diesel loco (Mulberry) -- the promised 0-4-0 Met never materialised. And Network Rail (or whoever they are nowadays) still own the track between the Long Marston site (owned by St Modwen, and rail operated by Motorail Logistics) and Honeybourne. So we would be unlikely to get permission to run our vehicles on their track.
     
  11. sjbarratt

    sjbarratt New Member

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    And the GWR have what we don't -- money and workers.
     
  12. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    Aren't most of the regulars former GWR members? I remember the splinter group forming.
    Prehaps those who cant travel could consider rejoining?
    I do hope it works out for the group - It's always a shame to see a group disappear although hopefully with the relocation to Sharpness this wont happen.
     
  13. 1472

    1472 Well-Known Member

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    Really? - it may have escaped your notice but elsewhere on this forum the virtually penniless GWSR are urgently appealing for funds NOW in order to repair what they already have!!

    Whilst we all hope that the railway is successful in raising the necessary £££'s - unless a sugar daddy appears from somewhere - it will take several years for the railway to recover its former (pre 2010) position.

    That is bound to impact on getting to Broadway??

    The SBRS was an unfortunate splintering of effort as is the Sharpness idea.
     
  14. sjbarratt

    sjbarratt New Member

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    Of the four of us, only one is involved with the GWR. I'm told that a number of SBR members have expressed a desire to transfer to the Sharpness operation. I share your concern about losing a group such as ours, but I'm reassured that all our hard work will, eventually, lead to an operational railway. I'm just sorry that I won't be able to participate any more than occasionally.
     
  15. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    Think you have missed the point. The group was originally formed of GWR members, you are saying that the move means that you are unable to continue (which is fair enough) so could you not join up with the GWR who have similar aims and are more local than Sharpness?
     
  16. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    Also slightly confused - Are you saying that there are only 4 members these days or 4 active members? (just curious)
     
  17. sjbarratt

    sjbarratt New Member

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    We are down to about 160 paid-up members. The four are those of us who turn up on Tuesdays and/or Saturdays to do things.
     
  18. sjbarratt

    sjbarratt New Member

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    Unfortunately, GWR is too far away, dammit!
     
  19. Gav106

    Gav106 Well-Known Member

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    slightly off topic but im presuming that with the double tracking of the line honeybourne there reinstating the island platform and some sort of foot bridge. and the line round the back Will be used by the gwsr. is a shame that enough people couldn't buy the sidings next to the station and create a mainline servicing center there like yeovil. looks a large plot of land there. if only i won the lottery. lol.
     
  20. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    When they reach Broadway they will be 8 miles away from Long Marston, Toddington being 12 miles away. Hardly miles away!
     

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