Which preserved railway project would you most like to see?

[alexl92]

Taking inspiration from the Which Preserved Railway Extension Would You Most Like To See?thread, I’m interested to know which current, planned or hypothetical projects you’d like to see on our Heritage railways, either by a railway, preservation society or associated group.

This could be infrastructure, a new museum/engine house, a long term restoration, something similar to the knotty train or windcutter rake, new sidings/rolling stock storage, community project etc etc. It can even include an extension to a running line but can’t just be that as otherwise it overlaps with the other thread!

For example, the plans at Bodmin General to reinstate the second platform are exciting and by the sound of it will make for some more interesting timetabling at special events etc. In theory, would it mean that if they had another visit from a large loco like Tornado which can only run down the branch to Bodmin Parkway, they could also operate a shuttle to Boscarne Jct alongside it?

I’m also looking forward to the progression of the 125 group’s project to preserve a full HST set, including how they decide to operate 41001 and its loco-hauled coach set in their prototype liveries to a production HST which would normally run with HST trailers and in a different livery - a half-and-half set, or keep operating 41001 T&T with another diesel as they do now, and preserve a full production HST?

 

[Journeyman]

If money were no object, and the potential safety and technical issues could be overcome, I'd love to see a third-rail heritage centre/line that preserved Southern Electric stock could run on.

There's several complete and very historically significant units that could operate on such a line, but I appreciate it'll probably never happen.

 

[Flying Phil]

I would like to see the APT- P train running. That is the set preserved at Crewe.

 

[UP13]

Sheds. Lots of sheds. Hate seeing stuff rot in the open.

 

[trebor79]

APT-P is also something I'd love to see and ride.
The original aim to preserve the GCR from Rugby to somewhere in Nottingham would have been wonderful.

 

[Flying Phil]

APT-P is also something I'd love to see and ride.
The original aim to preserve the GCR from Rugby to somewhere in Nottingham would have been wonderful.

....Well we should be able to go from near Leicester to near Nottingham in 2 - 5 ! years time!

 

[L&Y Robert]

A bit of broad gauge, well - more than a bit, say four or five miles. I fancy West Somerset as a possibility, that bit out towards the main line, with the four-foot inside the seven foot. Then run that engine they've got at Didcot, and that passenger wagon - and you could really let 'em run if you had a decent length of line. That'd be hugely interesting to a lot of people

 

[Cowley]

A bit of broad gauge, well - more than a bit, say four or five miles. I fancy West Somerset as a possibility, that bit out towards the main line, with the four-foot inside the seven foot. Then run that engine they've got at Didcot, and that passenger wagon - and you could really let 'em run if you had a decent length of line. That'd be hugely interesting to a lot of people

I’d love to see that too.
Obviously things aren’t going too well on the line at the moment... But imagine a length of mixed gauge Baulk Road with all the proper signalling etc... Lovely.

 

[Peter C]

I would love to see the GWSR extension to Honeybourne. I remember going to Toddington when they were still building out to Broadway, and it was nice to ride up on a DMU to Laverton and know that in a few years' time I would be riding over that track at 25mph on my way to Broadway behind a steam engine!
If the GWSR did extend to Honeybourne, I think that they would have to put in a connection with the Cotswold Line somehow; purely because this would allow them to operate different trains using stock which could have come from places like Didcot. Look at the SVR and NYMR; they have links with the national network and they benefit from it an awful lot. The GWSR could make use of a connection at Honeybourne by connecting to the track at Long Marston, which I think is the only way they could do it. The Long Marston track would then connect to the Cotswold Line. Having a Long Marston connection could mean that we might see some modern test trains rolling through Toddington, Winchcombe, and Cheltenham Racecourse!

-Peter

 

[xotGD]

I would like to see the second platform at Bolton Abbey completed as at the moment it looks a mess.

 

[reddragon]

I would love to see the GWSR extension to Honeybourne. I remember going to Toddington when they were still building out to Broadway, and it was nice to ride up on a DMU to Laverton and know that in a few years' time I would be riding over that track at 25mph on my way to Broadway behind a steam engine!
If the GWSR did extend to Honeybourne, I think that they would have to put in a connection with the Cotswold Line somehow; purely because this would allow them to operate different trains using stock which could have come from places like Didcot. Look at the SVR and NYMR; they have links with the national network and they benefit from it an awful lot. The GWSR could make use of a connection at Honeybourne by connecting to the track at Long Marston, which I think is the only way they could do it. The Long Marston track would then connect to the Cotswold Line. Having a Long Marston connection could mean that we might see some modern test trains rolling through Toddington, Winchcombe, and Cheltenham Racecourse!

-Peter

Peter, you are quite young enough to help that become reality in your lifetime!

There's just the acquisition of the track-bed from Sustrans, £5m of bridgework and rebuilding the railway to complete, starting no earlier than 2023 (according to the railway). All completely achievable, but dependant on a positive operating business case for the railway.

A S106 grant from the Long Marston Development would help!! and re-opening Honeybourne to Stratford would guarantee the case.

 

[Peter C]

Peter, you are quite young enough to help that become reality in your lifetime!

There's just the acquisition of the track-bed from Sustrans, £5m of bridgework and rebuilding the railway to complete, starting no earlier than 2023 (according to the railway). All completely achievable, but dependant on a positive operating business case for the railway.

A S106 grant from the Long Marston Development would help!! and re-opening Honeybourne to Stratford would guarantee the case.

I definitely want to start helping out at the GWSR soon. I'd happily do anything which contributes to any aspect of the operational side of the line, but I'm not sure if they'd let someone like me control the line!

-Peter

 

[reddragon]

I definitely want to start helping out at the GWSR soon. I'd happily do anything which contributes to any aspect of the operational side of the line, but I'm not sure if they'd let someone like me control the line!

-Peter

If you are a member, why not offer to help at the Steam Gala with the youth group?

 

[Peter C]

If you are a member, why not offer to help at the Steam Gala with the youth group?

The thing is, I'm not a member yet; I should have been clearer - when I said that I wanted to start helping soon, I should have said become a member instead.

-Peter

 

[reddragon]

The thing is, I'm not a member yet; I should have been clearer - when I said that I wanted to start helping soon, I should have said become a member instead.

-Peter

Ask for life membership for your birthday!

 

[Midnight Sun]

Opening of the much needed Motive Power Depot at Furzebrook on the Swanage Railway complete with the 70ft turntable installed, Sheds and Coaling Tower. A overhead walkway around the site would keep the visitors out the way if built. Rail access to the workshops at Herston would also be usefull, if ony just the savings on load loader hire evreytime something is moved

 

[Peter C]

Ask for life membership for your birthday!

Excellent idea - why didn't I think of that?!

-Peter

 

[reddragon]

Excellent idea - why didn't I think of that?!

-Peter

Will save you a lot of money over the next 80 years!

 

[alexl92]

I’d like to see a museum shed at Embsay where their extensive collection of out-of-Service locomotives can be safely viewed by visitors, similar to Oxenhope. It would really add to what that railway can offer.

 

[Peter C]

Will save you a lot of money over the next 80 years!

Very clever!

-Peter

 

[billio]

How about the East Lancashire Railway running a shuttle service between the Transport Museum and Buckley Wells. A platform at the Transport Museum might encourage more visits. At Buckley Wells the train comes to a stand and then returns to Bolton Street until there was some from of exhibit or viewing area at Buckley Wells. The ELR is unusual in that you cannot see the main sheds and storage areas from the running line and I think quite few people might be interested in viewing them. A DMU of some kind might be suitable stock for a service like this.

 

[Paul Hitchcock]

How about the East Lancashire Railway running a shuttle service between the Transport Museum and Buckley Wells. A platform at the Transport Museum might encourage more visits. At Buckley Wells the train comes to a stand and then returns to Bolton Street until there was some from of exhibit or viewing area at Buckley Wells. The ELR is unusual in that you cannot see the main sheds and storage areas from the running line and I think quite few people might be interested in viewing them. A DMU of some kind might be suitable stock for a service like this.

Forgive me but this is a classic case of enthusiasts' priorities differing from those of "normals".

 

[billio]

Forgive me but this is a classic case of enthusiasts' priorities differing from those of "normals".

Ha, ha, ha .. what's "normal" about travelling on a heritage railway ?

 

[43096]

Ha, ha, ha .. what's "normal" about travelling on a heritage railway ?

Family day out? Good thing, too, as preserved railways would be dead without “non-enthusiast” visitors.

 

[billio]

Family day out? Good thing, too, as preserved railways would be dead without “non-enthusiast” visitors.

Yes, there are lots of good reasons for travelling on a heritage railway and it is thanks to the many hard-working enthusiasts we can enjoy such a journey. It just struck me that on this particular railway you don't see much of what is behind the scene whereas on other railways you do, for example on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway you see virtually everything.

 

[Ianno87]

How about the East Lancashire Railway running a shuttle service between the Transport Museum and Buckley Wells. A platform at the Transport Museum might encourage more visits. At Buckley Wells the train comes to a stand and then returns to Bolton Street until there was some from of exhibit or viewing area at Buckley Wells. The ELR is unusual in that you cannot see the main sheds and storage areas from the running line and I think quite few people might be interested in viewing them. A DMU of some kind might be suitable stock for a service like this.

They do do a shuttle down there hauled by 'Thomas' on Day out with Thomas days.

Seems to have gone quiet of late, but an extension of ELR operation to Castleton would be on my fantasy list.

 

[Mogz]

I would love to see some or all of the 12 mile Hooton to West Kirby branch line on the Wirral resurrected.

It closed to passengers in 1956 and freight in 1962. It was turned into a linear country park (The Wirral Way) in the 1970s, but there are other examples of railways where the walking path has been retained alongside notwithstanding the restoration of rail services (eg Avon Valley Railway, Northampton and Lamport Railway).

There is a beautifully restored station at Hadlow Road, Willaston (with booking office, rails, signal and signal box, no less!) and the original disused platform at Hooton Merseyrail station still exists. There are no obstacles on that 3 mile stretch.

Another contender would be the three mile stretch from West Kirby to Thurstaston where the platforms are still extant but a bridge would need to be rebuilt at Caldy. That stretch would have beautiful coastal views and a beach at each end, with a Merseyrail connection at West Kirby.

Sadly the complete line could not be restored as some was built on in the Heswall and Neston areas in the late 1960s.

The Wirral has many attractions but no nearby steam railway.