tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post3158809489362993275..comments2023-07-10T14:18:09.980+01:00Comments on Extension Blog: The welder's final visitJo http://www.blogger.com/profile/05480195769830116100noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-13077229584380835972018-01-06T22:35:11.360+00:002018-01-06T22:35:11.360+00:00A Crash Protection Barrier is the current preferre...A Crash Protection Barrier is the current preferred option, to take the hit before the bridge does. John B gives more details in the Station Blog. It is a very difficult problem as we all agree.<br />RogerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-22508130837810758942018-01-06T15:51:44.664+00:002018-01-06T15:51:44.664+00:00any news on the cafe and the drive/station resurfa...any news on the cafe and the drive/station resurfacing at Broadway 🍴👺Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14007700711880778615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-19770135460116521002018-01-06T14:44:59.456+00:002018-01-06T14:44:59.456+00:00Well, at your age, I think you have a very good ...Well, at your age, I think you have a very good chance of living to see a return to Honeybourne ! I agree a return to Cheltenham is impossible for the foreseeable future.<br /><br />Jo Roesen has very patiently explained the massive amount of work involved in extending from Broadway to Honeybourne. As he reminds us, it's not just a matter of clearing some vegetation and relaying the track ! Would that it were so simple.<br /><br />It might be possible to raise the money for the extension over a ten year period. I would like to think so, but we must not forget in our enthusiasm that the GWSR already has a railway to run, and is heavily committed to present projects, not the least of which is ongoing maintenance along the whole line.<br /><br />I'm very sorry if my reply sounds didactic. I didn't mean it to.<br /> <br />Anyway, at my age, I'm afraid it will remain a dream. Well, I suppose there's no harm in an old man dreaming.<br /><br />Good luck to you young things in the future !<br /><br />Peter Wright PeterHWrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16495198265526743106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-64306512475446847172018-01-06T14:36:31.806+00:002018-01-06T14:36:31.806+00:00I'm keen for the railway to expand, but I thin...I'm keen for the railway to expand, but I think for the next few years the best thing to do would be to improve the line as it is, rather than go all-out for another lengthy extension.<br /><br />Even when Broadway opens, it won't be complete. The footbridge steps, platform 1 canopy extension, platform 2 building, signalling and possibly extra trackwork (the south end sidings, postponed due to financial constraints) are all still to construct. I'd like to get rid of those horrible containers at the north end of platform 1, and replace them with something more period-style, too. So there's still a lot to do...<br /><br />Then there's a desperate need for a carriage shed, and improvements and maintenance all along the line. Of course, as the line gets longer, the maintenance requirement gets bigger. That's an issue in itself.<br /><br />There are plenty of places along the line where work is required, not least at the Kayte Lane bridge at Southam, where a landowner has dug into the cutting bank and moved his fence onto railway land - thus stealing railway property. <br /><br />Frankly, I'm surprised the GWR seems happy to give away its land to any dodgy neighbour who feels like taking it. And given the problems we've had with slips along the line, I think it's totally unacceptable to allow random people to dig away at the earthworks. There's an obvious safety issue there. <br /><br />So that's one thing I think should get some attention. The railway should police and maintain its boundaries far better than it does at present. After all, if the railway can't keep its fences secure over the present length of line, that doesn't bode well for any extensions.<br /><br />Having said all that, one new project I would like to see is a station at Bishop's Cleeve. The original station site came up for sale recently, and I believe the Board put in an offer but were not successful. However, there's enough room alongside the line for a new station to be built just south of the original site. <br /><br />I think this should be seriously considered. Bishop's Cleeve has grown into a sizeable town over the last few decades, and it doesn't make any sense for the railway to ignore this potential source of passengers. <br /><br />I think the people of Bishop's Cleeve would welcome some general improvements to the railway environment, too. At present it's all grim, grey security fencing - Broadway got the posh green version!<br /><br />The other potential new project which I think could go ahead relatively easily is an extension southward to Pittville Park. The GWR owns the trackbed (in fact there's track in place to the south portal of Hunting Butts Tunnel) and a station at Pittvile would be much more convenient for Cheltenham itself, being within walking distance of the town centre. The GWR would gain something it doesn't quite have at the moment - a genuine destination at the south end of the line.<br /><br />Aside from that I think it would be a very good idea for the GWR to establish a presence at the south end of its property. Here, as at Kayte Lane, fences have been removed and the earthworks dug away, not least by the developers who built the new housing estate just west of the line at Pittville. <br /><br />I think the developers tried to 'landscape' the railway embankment. I'd like to know if they did this with the knowledge and permission of the GWR - and who is responsible if the embankment slips onto all those new houses.Michael Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08386451061160258935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-67696431260771823152018-01-06T13:48:55.784+00:002018-01-06T13:48:55.784+00:00Another thoughtful comment from Steve Cherry I c...Another thoughtful comment from Steve Cherry I can't see how anything he has said could possibly be construed as criticism of the GWSR. I am not critical of the GWSR, either. It is not their fault that these careless drivers so easily escape the consequences.<br /><br />It is a national problem. And it is au fond a matter of law enforcement. When the law is not enforced, it is useless to say anything.<br /><br />I feel very sorry for the GWSR. <br /><br />I will say no more.<br /><br />PHWPeterHWrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16495198265526743106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-12183058887570884342018-01-06T11:58:21.566+00:002018-01-06T11:58:21.566+00:00Well I'm 52 and I certainly DO hope the railwa...Well I'm 52 and I certainly DO hope the railway gets to Honeybourne in my lifetime! Its more realistic than hoping to get in to Cheltenham anyway. If £5m is the going rate, think of it as a 10 year plan to rise £500,000 per year (not starting straight away of course). Probably wouldn't raise that amount every year but use it as a target. With the opening of Broadway, Im expecting an upturn in passenger numbers, ticket sales, merchandise, catering etc and whilst accepting that there will be increased costs, I would hope for a significant increase in profits at least for the first couple of years. We all have our dreams!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15404114963784480956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-73100276095071505982018-01-06T01:14:47.121+00:002018-01-06T01:14:47.121+00:00Ask local Police to do a few checks of vehicles co...Ask local Police to do a few checks of vehicles coming unde the bridge every now and then. A tea/coffee from the station cafe for them wouldn’t go a miss. ��Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-81092855237427131742018-01-06T00:10:07.271+00:002018-01-06T00:10:07.271+00:00I'm sorry if I've rocked the boat with cer...I'm sorry if I've rocked the boat with certain people. I'm sure the GWSR board are doing all they can and my comments are in no way any criticism, just voicing my thoughts on the problem of the bridge strikes, I know any action will involve other bodies such as the council which a solution would also be in there interest and would <br />appreciate not having strike debris to clear and periodically road closures. <br />Being a keen supporter and shareholder I am deeply concerned. Setting aside feasibility and cost which I do no know anything about, I have not heard anyone else mention using NPR cameras and instead of waiting for them to hit the bridge, what about stopping them before hand, there is more chance they will be spotted, photographed and identified in the few minutes before hand when they have crossed the threshold of the approucha, than the spit second of the strike. Thank you Peter Wright for your comments.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07601452858095419838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-34284924067262466152018-01-05T22:54:31.139+00:002018-01-05T22:54:31.139+00:00Offer a regular commuter service over the line fro...Offer a regular commuter service over the line from Cheltenham to Honeybourne twice a day using modern stockAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-50024955633035871962018-01-05T22:49:45.269+00:002018-01-05T22:49:45.269+00:00Is no one else going to reply to Steve Cherry ?, ...Is no one else going to reply to Steve Cherry ?, He has clearly been giving the matter much thought, and raises useful points which ought to be addressed. Has no one got anything to say in reply ? Then I will.<br /><br />These drivers, in common with many other drivers, have no respect for any signs, be it "Give Way", No Entry", "No access to Road Vehicles", "No Parking", "Disabled Parking : Blue Badge Holders Only", and so on and so forth.<br /><br />"They won't have to touch the bridge before committing an offence", says Steve. Well, with existing signage, this is already the case ! There is simply no one willing or able to enforce it. Not just at Broadway, but at various locations across the entire nation.<br /><br />In this age of the smartphone, and digital photography, it beggars belief that no local resident is able to capture a picture of the culprit red handed. But no one seems willing to speak up, show their evidence, or, if necessary, give evidence in court as an eye witness.<br /><br />These bridge strikes do not all take place at the dead of night when there are no witnesses. Therefore, I must presume people are afraid to speak out. Why ? Whom are you all afraid of ? The Mafia ? This is England, not Sicily. But "omerta" or the code of silence seems to have caught on even here, these days. Pass by on the other side of the street. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. It's not my business. Etc. How else do you explain almost daily physical attacks on people taking place in busy city centres in broad daylight ?<br /><br />No, I'm sorry Steve, but in these anarchic times, I'm afraid you are wasting your time.<br /><br />Sorry, but there it is.<br /><br />Peter WrightPeterHWrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16495198265526743106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-78165773144690028572018-01-05T22:09:54.653+00:002018-01-05T22:09:54.653+00:00See John Baldestone's comments (our Bridge Eng...See John Baldestone's comments (our Bridge Engineer) on the Station Blog<br />RogerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-58360305966975060462018-01-05T20:15:46.704+00:002018-01-05T20:15:46.704+00:00I am surprised at readers comments who seem to ass...I am surprised at readers comments who seem to assume the GWSR Board is not doing anything. Whilst in no way involved I do know that the problem and possible solutions (and costs) are being very carefully considered.<br />RogerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-3904979757472777322018-01-05T19:51:03.534+00:002018-01-05T19:51:03.534+00:00If the Evesham Road leading under the railway brid...If the Evesham Road leading under the railway bridge was legally of of bounds to certain commercial vehicles it would have the same respect as no entry signs, but there is always NPR cameras, even our local council refuge tip has one, greeting you with your registration on a screen as you enter. They won't have to touch the bridge before committing a offence. A sign could warn them to turn round before getting a ticket Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07601452858095419838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-83300301593387974212018-01-05T14:42:00.310+00:002018-01-05T14:42:00.310+00:00Yes, Steve Cherry' suggestion is very good, ...Yes, Steve Cherry' suggestion is very good, but it comes back to the question of enforcement. Who would enforce such a ban ?<br />And without adequate law enforcement, any number of road signs, prohibitions, traffic restriction signs, or what have you, are a waste of time. <br /><br />Not to change the subject, but where on earth do all these heavy goods vehicles come from and go to ? Where in Broadway is there an industrial estate ? I thought it was a peaceful place with the heaviest traffic coming from tourists who like to visit this pretty village. Why did they build the by-pass, if not to keep heavy traffic out of Broadway ? I don't understand. <br />PHW. PeterHWrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16495198265526743106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-14539195411709650112018-01-05T14:26:51.122+00:002018-01-05T14:26:51.122+00:00Bridge strikes are very depressing. Here is a stor...Bridge strikes are very depressing. Here is a story for 2018 that won’t solve the problem but you may find it interesting.<br />Many, many years ago (the 70’s) I was charged with the responsibility of navigating a lorry from Wiltshire to Toulouse. As export manager I was trying to get maximum profit by not using a low loader. The CEO was not impressed, hence the job. We were carrying a huge, circular steel platform, loaded on a trailer in two halves, part of a rotary milking parlour. On the top deck of the ferry from Southampton we parked alongside a truck carrying the wings for an anglo-french jet to Aerospatiale. His load, fitted under the autoroute bridges, ours did not. But over a beer we bet him we could clear customs before he did at Toulouse. We were using the detailed Michelin maps that show the bridges but not their heights! <br />First stop, Tours, at an impossibly low bridge and a little, white haired man driving a battered Citroen took us on a guided tour round the suburbs. Approaching Poitiers I noticed thick black lines on the map in the middle of the roads. Trolley bus wires. We visually had to check how far below them we were. About a foot. We got to Brive and a big solid stone low bridge. I knocked up the local gendarmerie and interrupted an alcoholic game of cards in a smoke filled room. They were so surprised (the French police have a different view of the public) they gave us a police car escort around the hills and out of Brive. Then finally one last bridge by the Agricultural College at Purpan, a village outside Toulouse. The driver and I took the safety chains off the top of the steel to creep under, clearing it by a few centimetres.<br />We beat the aircraft lorry to customs. He booked into a posh hotel on expenses while we drove through the night.<br />English exports to France to milk their cows. Last Happy New Year before Brexit.<br />Mike Rose Mike Rose.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07525916153025073355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-47545385774056940282018-01-05T09:56:13.062+00:002018-01-05T09:56:13.062+00:00An extension to Honeybourne (around 5 miles I beli...An extension to Honeybourne (around 5 miles I believe) would give the GWSR a possible main line connection. It is a logical "conclusion" to the Railway's rebirth as a heritage line. However, the exam question must be: What's the return on investment? How many through trains would we attract from the National Network? Would we achieve a significant growth in traffic? etc. In a country where many people cannot save money due to increased cost of living, rent and so on, the chances of achieving a massive share issue are, I would suggest, too risky. A third party investment might be another matter but it begs the question, what's in it for me? The GWSR will need to invest in existing infrastructure and stock - the lack of a secure carriage shed is scary - too many heritage lines have suffered damaged or burnt out rolling stock, we can't afford to lose it. Another 5 miles of track means 10 miles of fencing and 5 miles of culverts. I would love to see race specials from Paddington coming to CRC on our line but I won't be around to see it if ever it happens.Toddingtontedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02470051178926426104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-4340027600694692882018-01-05T09:52:25.874+00:002018-01-05T09:52:25.874+00:00Surely the way is if the highway authority closed ...Surely the way is if the highway authority closed this section of the road to commercial vehicles over a certain height with penalties and fines for drivers who do not obeyAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07601452858095419838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-88369723650731354302018-01-05T09:45:03.907+00:002018-01-05T09:45:03.907+00:00Share Issue? Grants? Donations.? Community and Bus...Share Issue? Grants? Donations.? Community and Business involvement ? Larded by good PR. At least GWSR is cheaper than National Rail!woodcockfamilykenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02546170769367443318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-60131690531776520402018-01-05T00:40:01.893+00:002018-01-05T00:40:01.893+00:00The Spa Valley Railway also had a serious bridge s...The Spa Valley Railway also had a serious bridge strike earlier in 2017. This situation is far from unique to the GWSR bridges and is a fact of life for both heritage railways and the National Network. I regret to say that we will have to learn to put up with it. Several Network Rail bridges are protected with "bash beams" and they do help in many respects. However, you will never stop the "contracted bloke in a hurry with one more JCB to deliver" I used to live close to the ECML by the A52 in Lincolnshire which had the dubious honour of being the most struck bridge on the Network, the road would be closed or blocked on average about once very 2 weeks although the bridge was struck much more often than that, usually by a truck with an exotic Eastern European number plate. Basically bridge strikes will be with us until everything goes by rail, which will never happen. We will, regrettably, need to do what Network Rail does, suck it up.Toddingtontedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02470051178926426104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-76841151911367444652018-01-05T00:29:48.879+00:002018-01-05T00:29:48.879+00:00If you have £5 million, I'll see you in Honeyb...If you have £5 million, I'll see you in Honeybourne, otherwise, sadly, no chance!Toddingtontedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02470051178926426104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-31842437833354588982018-01-04T19:18:15.595+00:002018-01-04T19:18:15.595+00:00Many thanks for the post.
At the moment, there a...Many thanks for the post.<br /><br />At the moment, there appears to be no proper law enforcement with regard to the careless and negligent drivers who are ignoring the valid road sign which prohibits loads of more than 14ft 3ins.<br /><br />Why is this ? I would not get away with ignoring "Give Way" signs whenever I felt like.<br /><br />I've not driven for years, I'm glad to say. And these days, too many drivers are of an anarchic mindset.<br /><br />I think Michael Johnson's suggestion about installing "bash beams" to protect the bridge seems to be the only solution, provided the GWSR takes sound legal advice first. <br /><br />The railway would not wish to find itself incurring liability of any sort. Equally, things can't just be left like this.<br /><br />I would say urgent consultation with the Highways authority is the first step. They (presumably) authorised the road closure for repairs to the bridge. Fine, but they can't keep on closing the road indefinitely !<br /><br />But what a business, when you've already got more than enough to do on the railway. (Not forgetting the high winds and the cold weather which you are all bravely working in.)<br /><br />Very well done with all the good work<br /><br />Peter WrightPeterHWrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16495198265526743106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-72296128450940546522018-01-04T18:17:14.189+00:002018-01-04T18:17:14.189+00:00The trouble with CCTV cameras is that they only pr...The trouble with CCTV cameras is that they only provide a means of catching the culprit after the damage is done. What we want to do is to stop the bridge strikes from happening altogether.<br /><br />I'm not sure that lowering the road would be a simple solution. It might mean rerouting services buried under the road - in the case of sewers that might require a completely new pipe route, to maintain the fall of the pipe and thus the flow of the sewage. And, of course, if the road level is lowered, that effectively makes the foundations of the bridge abutments shallower. All of a sudden you're looking at some serious civil engineering...<br /><br />I think the best solution is a couple of 'bash beams' (that does seem to be the technical term) either side of the bridge. A steel beam of some sort, across the road just in front of the bridge. This gives over-height vehicles something to hit that's not the bridge itself.<br /><br />The beams could be freestanding or bracketed off the side walls of the bridge. There's a good example in this Daily Mail article. The first photo clearly shows the lorry has not actually hit the bridge - it's hit the bash beam in front of the bridge. The train on the bridge shows that the line was able to remain open:<br /><br />http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2672581/Lorry-driver-hits-15-railway-overpass-probably-handy-truck-carrying-deodorant.html<br /><br />I think something like this is really the only effective solution for Broadway. Sure, it would cost money, but I don't think there's a cheap answer. It would certainly be a better solution than simply waiting for bridge strikes to happen, cancelling trains, and losing revenue and reputation.Michael Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08386451061160258935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-11291322257659236962018-01-04T17:50:29.030+00:002018-01-04T17:50:29.030+00:00I think the insurance company that is paying up is...I think the insurance company that is paying up is the haulier's insurance, not the GSWR's. It would probably be worthwhile putting some high definition CCTV cameras either side of the bridge (with a digital recorder) to help in identifying the culprits (the sort of thing used for shop security cameras). This is a common problem worldwide - take a look at Youtube - search for "11foot8" to see how they have protected a bridge with a substantial metal beam capable of stripping off the top of a truck. However, I am not sure that there is enough room to install anything quite that big on Station Road, never mind the cost of the thing! Perhaps the roadway should just be lowered by a metre or so???Peter Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15020212199830779526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-77442679048732153152018-01-04T16:59:13.398+00:002018-01-04T16:59:13.398+00:00I think the bridge strike problem really needs to ...I think the bridge strike problem really needs to be solved once and for all. <br /><br />Simply waiting for the next accident to happen, and then closing the railway and/or the road while damage is assessed and repaired, is not a viable long-term strategy.<br /><br />On the Broadway Station blog I read that the B4362 will be closed for six weeks, while the latest damage to the bridge is fixed. If extended closures like this become a regular event, we can say goodbye to any goodwill from the people of Broadway. <br /><br />And if trains to Broadway are continually cancelled due to bridge strikes the GWR will very quickly gain a reputation as 'The unreliable line in the Cotswolds'.<br /><br />There's also the sheer cost of continually repairing the bridge - and the risk that one day a major impact might cause damage serious enough fo it to require replacement. <br /><br />I don't think we can necessarily assume that insurance will always cover repair costs. If the insurance company thinks no action has been taken to prevent the problem they may eventually decide not to pay up - or at least make continuing coverage conditional on some sort of impact protection being put in place. In any case, you can bet the premiums are going to increase with every crash. <br /><br />The present strategy seems to amount to 'wait for the accident, close everything down for repairs, then wait for the next accident....repeat indefinitely'. That strikes me as a very expensive way of not addressing the issue. <br /><br />I think we should address the issue!<br /><br />Michael Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08386451061160258935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8914276256646518799.post-69892606044876138662018-01-04T16:56:57.580+00:002018-01-04T16:56:57.580+00:00It's not that they don't know the bridge w...It's not that they don't know the bridge was there, it's that they don't know that they are too high. Even with a flashing warning, triggered by a light beam, strikes are only reduced by 1/3, according to an article I saw on the BBC.<br />I personally witnessed two strikes in the last 24 months, both flatbeds with a load.<br />Returning from Broadway today, I met a skip lorry with 3 empty skips on it. This is the sort of traffic that does the damage. Most of it is local too. Jo https://www.blogger.com/profile/05480195769830116100noreply@blogger.com