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The Gwili Railway thread

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Matt78, Jan 28, 2012.

  1. svr-rodgers

    svr-rodgers Member

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    The Gwili 2013 Thread

    And some new events this year all being well, More details will be posted at a later date
     
  2. richards

    richards Part of the furniture

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    .. and now it's just plain old "Gwili Railway thread" so it can keep going for years to come.

    Richard
     
  3. JWKB

    JWKB Member

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    But that sound so plain !!
     
  4. Matt78

    Matt78 Well-Known Member

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    well let's just hope we can keep going for years to come!

    back to progress "on the ground" and despite some issues with the plant, cutting rail taking longer than expected etc etc another 5 panels have been laid this weekend- so the total laid so far since we started work in December is 300 yards.....

    Regards

    Matt
     
  5. Matt78

    Matt78 Well-Known Member

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    There are more photos on the railway's facebook page which have just been uploaded. Sleepers continue to be laid and the these are creeping towards the next milepost(247 III), with the rails to be inserted at our own pace. We are doing it this way to make the most of the plant available to us at the moment. Much of the grading of the trackbed has now been completed as well.

    All looking good,

    regards

    Matt
     
  6. m20cru

    m20cru New Member

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    it's a shame you couldn't put the photos on here too, for those of us not on facebook!!
     
  7. JWKB

    JWKB Member

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  8. Matt78

    Matt78 Well-Known Member

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  9. HowardGWR

    HowardGWR New Member

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    Just out of interest, I see, using SV, that there is actually nothing particular in the way of reaching Old Station Road in Carmarthen, only the wide river being the final obstacle to reconnection. Was that ever considered (terminus in Old Station Road) and is it still a possibility for the future?
     
  10. m20cru

    m20cru New Member

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    there is a route through along the bypass , the land from where gwili's land ends to Old Station Road is owned by Carmarthenshire County council i think,
     
  11. JWKB

    JWKB Member

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    There is a route there but it is going to be expensive . The first job is to take away the bank by the bypass just south of our site and put in a pretty hefty retaining wall. Then there is the need to re route a footpath and build the bridge across the Towy. So it won't be cheap but then when you look at what has been achieved by WHR,RVP etc it is not beyond the realms of possibility .....
     
  12. Matt78

    Matt78 Well-Known Member

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    We were unable to buy the land south of the old Abergwili Jtn in 1977 due to the proposals at the time relating to the Carmarthen Eastern By-pass. At that point the bridge over the river Towy giving a connection to the mainline station was still in existance (removed in the mid-1980's I believe).

    When the bypass was built (in the late 1990's) the old Abergwili Jtn site was flattened and a very narrow corridor of land was left alongside the bypass which reconnects to the old trackbed a little further south of a modern road bridge. The land which would be wide enough for a single track line is currently a large cutting, which would need to be removed. There is nothing particularly difficult to this from an engineering point of view, if you have the budget that is!

    Before we considered this bit however, a new Transport and Works Order would be required for this section of line (approx 1 mile). Bearing in mind that the route heads towards a centre of population, the granting of such an order would not necessarily be a formality.

    At the moment, we are focused on getting the line to the edge of Carmarthen, once this project is done, we can pause for breath and see what development comes next. An unofficial "off the top of my head" list would probably involve achieving public access to the Carmarthen site, and considering further covered accomodation for locos and rolling stock. After that.... the choice would probably be to head north to Conwil, which we can do under the Light Railway Order, with the requirment to repair at least 3 and possibly 4 bridges. However if political will emerged to go further south (with some kind of pot of cash...) then it could certainly be contemplated.

    Regards

    Matt
     
  13. HowardGWR

    HowardGWR New Member

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    Thanks Matt. It seems to me important that GR gets the formation reserved in the next Local Plan, (or whatever it is called in Wales) so that you have banked (at no cost) an insurance policy that nothing else will ruin that dream for ever. All the best with your magnificent project. Hope to visit this summer if not before.
     
  14. JWKB

    JWKB Member

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    It is already "banked" per say. When the land was compulsory purchased to build the bypass it was written in to the deeds that the land corridor must be maintains for future railway use and that should any organisation imped this that they are liable for the extra work.

    So some one in the council had the fore sight ...
     
  15. Matt78

    Matt78 Well-Known Member

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    Carms CC Planning Policy has been in place for many years protecting disused rail corridors generally and also particularly any development that would prejudice the extension of the Gwili towards Carmarthen town, thus preserving the old trackbed from any kind of long term breach of the formation. This doesn't take away the other issues (TWO, cost) but it does ensure that the trackbed is protected should the project be contemplated in future. .



    Regards

    Matt
     
  16. HowardGWR

    HowardGWR New Member

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    Excellent news but... how come the bypass builders were allowed to invade the formation (thinking back to the point made about the need now for a retaining wall)?

    Never the less, the two, (the planning policy and the covenant) are copper-bottomed, others must be very envious of protection like that! Congratulations.
     
  17. Matt78

    Matt78 Well-Known Member

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    The route of the bypass was able to use the old railway line due to a combination of us not being able to buy the land south of Abergwili Junction originally, and Compulsary Purchase powers on some of what we did own to allow the by pass to be built. As is the way with these things, several routes were proposed for the road and a public enquiry was held to determin the best route. I think the outcome of that was that a corridor of land would be "left". The onus would probably have been on us to provide funds to leave a "railway style" formation in place, and at the time we were focused on extending to Conwil, so it was never done.

    At the moment it is fair to say we have to concentrate on getting the line to the edge of Carmarthen and open that, and see what comes afterwards, but it is certainly exiting times for us.
    .
    Regards

    Matt
     
  18. svr-rodgers

    svr-rodgers Member

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    Have just posted this in the Gala's & Events section of the forum, please take a look and come along.

    I am very pleased to announce that we shall be holding a Mixed Traffic gala on Sunday 29th September.

    We shall be operating a very intensive service throughout the event with the possibility of some rare workings at the railway.

    We shall have 2 steam locos in use along side our resident DMU, Class 03 shunter and Abigial. The Vintage coaches shall be on show at Llwyfan Cerrig where the Gwili Vintage Carriage Group will be on hand to speak to you about the work that has gone into restoring them to full working order and answer any questions you may have about them.

    There will be various sales stands, Brakevan rides and other attractions around the railway.

    More details shall be published once items are confirmed.

    Regards

    James
     
  19. Gwenllian2001

    Gwenllian2001 Member

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    Exiting? Don't give up now. Only joking.
     
  20. Matt78

    Matt78 Well-Known Member

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    Haha, spelling was never my strung pont!

    I meant exciting times......
     

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