GWSR General Discussion and Operations

About 3 and a half hours to Cheltenham from Haywards Heath. I think it's slightly quicker than when I went from Haywards Heath to Wareham for Strictly Bulleids 2 last year (although that was more convoluted due to my cheap tickets app getting me to change at Clapham Junction, Basingstoke and Southampton Airport Parkway that day, albeit the changes weren't too long luckily).

 

Its about the same timing or a bit less by road, without having to tart around in Cheltenham, getting up to the racecourse. And once you come off the A40, and run through the lanes to Winchcombe, the landscape is made in heaven!

 

Newt time you drive, come off the A40 at Burford and go via Stow-on-the-Wold to Toddington (A424/B4077) - the scenery is even more stunning and going this way avoids Cheltenham's traffic chaos.

 

I'm back there sometime in the next month or so (C&W upholstery are doing a commission for me), so I'll give the Stow-on-the-Wold route a try, then drop down via Didbrook and Hailes to Winchcombe. Cheers, John.

 

My shot of GWR 2884 2-8-0 No. 3850 at Didbrook yesterday, fitted with the smokebox-mounted poppy to mark the VE Day 80th Anniversary.

 

I've seen a post elsewhere detailing the diesel roster for May. The GWSR website doesn't show this, or the equivalent steam roster. As I'll be driving that way on Saturday, is there any chance of that information being published?

 

There is a roster, but it's for last month.

https://www.gwsr.com/facilities/locomotive-roster

 

Hence the question...

 

Sorry, missed the fact it wasn't actually up-to-date in our PM conversation! Saturday is currently 7903 on train 1 and 3850 on train 2, and relevant authorities alerted regarding out of date website roster.

 

You might like to know that our infrastructure blog has resumed publication. The latest one is here:

https://bridgestobroadway.blogspot.com/2025/06/cheltenham-racecourse-bridge-43-works.html

(ignore the web adress title, that's historical)

Blogging is kind of personal, but our new infrastructure manager is up for it

 

Can I suggest registering a new, more appropriate, domain name pointing to the same actual server?

 

I'm afraid I don't know how to do that.
Another issue is that there have been several changes of name for the blogs/departments involved. Bridges to Broadway became Bridges Blog, then Infrastructure Blog, for example. I don't want to have to change the domain name each time the blog title changes.

But thanks for the suggestion.

 

Hello - any idea what engines are expected to be in traffic next week? Any advice on that most welcome.

 

It's mysteriously all showing as blank still internally on HOPS, so your guess is as good as anyone's except the roster clerks at the moment! If there's a significant lag between an internal roster appearing and the website being updated I can pop it up on here I expect.

 

there only 4 to choose from. I know 3850 recently had a washout so has a good chance of being one of the 2, my guess on the other would be 7903 as 2807 has been out a lot recently. Of course the weather getting drier again isn’t great and the two 2-8-0s have proven to be the most friendly when it comes to not setting banks alight…. If we see anything in the next few days, me or Alex will surely post.

 

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16oyhdGCDh/

"The GWSR is excited to announce plans to repaint four 1960s MK1 coaches into the British Rail Blue and Grey livery.

This restoration will not only preserve a significant piece of railway history which was seen along the route between the 1960s until the line shut in 1976, but also allow future generations of railway enthusiasts to experience this classic design."

Time for @flying scotsman123 to get his paintbrushes out again!

 

Not my brushes! The diesel department are putting their money where their mouths are fair play to them, they'll be doing the painting while we carry on with other work at Winchcombe, a win win.

It's no secret I've said before blue & grey isn't my cup of tea, but I totally get that a matching set of coaches to go with our predominantly blue diesel fleet will absolutely look the part and tick all the boxes for enthusiasts of that era. Hopefully enthusiasts will put their money where their mouths are too and we'll see an increase in passenger numbers on diesel days too!

 

Oh dear this reared it’s ugly head again.

 

this is a great idea a small rake of Blue/grey coaches will look good with Mainly blue Diesels after all its recreating an Era which many of us derided at the time but now has it place in preservation can someone post the link so i can donate

 

Hold that thought, watch this space