Abandoned Cheltenham to Honeybourne Railway Pt 2 of 2
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 พ.ค. 2018
- In the second part of this Abandoned Cheltenham to Honeybourne project, we concentrate on the section from Broadway in the Cotswolds to Honeybourne. The film goes some way to explaining why the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Heritage Railway goes no further at present. Whilst the track bed offers little in the way of restoration challenges, the bridges, 7 in total, require a lot of work and finance to keep them safe and useable. whether we shall ever see steam trains travel this route in the future remains a cause for speculation. This line that started in Cheltenham actually carried on to Stratford on Avon, the council there have suggested some help in restoring the line as a joint venture in the future, and provides probably the only hope of access to sufficient capital to make it possible. Meanwhile Honeybourne would be useful as a link to a mainline but would still need a vast amount spent. Even as just a cycle path the bridges would still need a lot of work as you can see.
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Great video Ron, thank you. Always impressed by the places you manage to gain access to!
Ever hopeful that the GSWR will make it to Honeybourne in my lifetime.
You better be prepared to live for quite a while yet then. Fingers crossed. Ron
@@ParkinsonsWalks 😃
I knew a lady that worked Honeybourne Station in her youth, and the Stories she Told painted a wonderful picture of the day 2 day life of a Rural Station.
Hi Donni, what a privilege to have someone open a window to the past. Lets hope someone records the stories so they are saved for future generations. Take care. Ron
Thank you for this fascinating film Ron. Whilst the single track north now terminates at Long Marston, the trackbed beyond the location of Long Marston Station / level crossing is very much walkable as 'The Greenway' to Stratford-upon-Avon. And the lifted line north of Stratford to Kineton is discoverable still, with many treasures to spot. I see the potential for some lovely Parkinson's Walks videos! Best wishes, Duncan.
Hi Duncan, thanks for the info, time to get the maps out again I think. Ron
Very interesting video! It appears the track bed is intact all the way to Honeybourne. They really should take it more seriously to get this section of the line reinstated.
I agree with you, unfortunately it all comes down to money or the lack of it. P.W.
What a super video Ron. I'd love to see the line extended to Honeybourne. Will cost an awful lot of money but will be well worth it.
One Day !! P.W.
I’ve been to the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire railway last year and I didn’t know that this line use to connect honeybourne and Cheltenham
Thanks for watching. Ron
Nice video. Thanks. Obviously a lovely day with lots of birdsong
Yes it was. P.W.
Hi Ron. Willersey had a halt with an iron pagoda next to where bridge 4 is. Apparently all that remains now are some railings by the bridge.
Thanks for that info, kind of you to post. Ron
Many thanks for this. I have recently moved away from the Cheltenham area but have fond memories of the GWR preservation line from the racecourse to Broadway. The piece you added was the path and bridges through to Honeybourne. Ultimately, I believe the course of the line runs through to Stratford-upon-Avon. I look forward to more. You might be able to link the Cheltenham to Andoversford line with an old BR safety film (available on TH-cam) that uses the stretch between Leckhampton and Andoversford stations to show how a (fictitious) incident affects the working of the trains and all the travellers involved.
Hi Nigel, I've watched that clip a few times but didn't know it was filmed on that line, thanks for that. Ron
Late 1980s Weston Sub Edge was a complete station, and ballast completely visible.
Nature gets it all back sooner or later. P.W.
The line from Long Marston southbound will eventually meet a junction with the Glos-Warks line some distance east of Honeybourne Station which could involve the removal of the twin-bridges, thus following a course, westbound, towards the station clear of both main lines. This will require the laying in of a further connection to the Oxford - Worcester main line in order to gain access to the network - the money will be raised and it will be done - the GWSR have probably got a share subscription plan - that's how they raised the final amount to get into Racecourse Station some years ago now. There is little doubt now that Honeybourne will become a main-line connection for the GWSR. What was deemed impossible 50 years ago has proved possible - so far. However, the next "Impossibility" to be overcome is making a main line connection at Lansdown - if such an idea should be thought of as worthy of ridicule, then consider the fact that some years ago EWS were considering the possibility of the line being made available as a diversion from the former Midland line - a practice that was indeed put into action during the 1950s and early 1960s when engineering work was underway on the original Stephenson (1837) main line which survives today. This heralds an even more prosperous future for the Glos-Warks Railway. The other route out of Cheltenham for Banbury, sadly, is gone forever and we can only take solace in viewing your wonderful ramblings and discoveries. I look forward to your next release.
As always Bernie, thanks for your contribution. The main problem with re-connecting the railways seems to be the proliferation of housing developments these days P.W.
The latest proposal is a park and ride at Cheltenham racecourse, the line would then veer and meet up with the mainline before Cheltenham spa station, this was reported in 2019, whether it happens is another thing, but all parties seem upbeat.
www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/cheltenham-news/new-railway-line-park-ride-3871538
All things considered they have a very do-able job ahead of them, subject to finance of course. Let`s hope it happens one day.
As always it will come down to money Hazel. P,W.
Great video's .
Glad you like them! P.W.
@@ParkinsonsWalks I've cycled a lot of it ..its good to see it explained so well .
@@frankyw8803 Thank you. P.W.
In 1955 I went from Honeybourne to Cheltenham. I cannot remember what happened, whether we reversed or what, but I went to St James because I remember waiting for the train to Gloucester at St James.
If that stirred up some nice memories for you Don, my work is done. Ron
@@ParkinsonsWalks Yes thank you. it did stir up some memories over 60 years ago.
Yes Don, you did reverse. From Honeybourne you arrived in the bay platform at Cheltenham Spa Malvern Road - you then reversed out of that bay platform retracing the route back to Honeybourne as far as St Georges Road Bridge from where you would leave the Honeybourne line at Malvern Road East Junction, bearing right, taking the line into the terminus at Cheltenham Spa St James which had a substantial goods yard as well as a beautiful terminus building in the Edwardian style. I remember this well because I lived in Bishops Cleeve and would get the auto-train to Cheltenham - in fact the school I attended was St Gregory's which was adjacent to Cheltenham Spa St James Station - from my classroom window I would watch the locomotives being turned on the turntable there, and getting a clip round the ear from my teacher because I was paying more attention to the railway than I was to my lessons ! At that time (1957-1960) the Midland and South Western Junction line was still running but only as far as Andover Junction, but it originally ran to Southampton. So, at Cheltenham we would also see Southern Region Class "U" 2-6-0 engines being turned. It was a manual turntable at one end was the driver and at the other end was the fireman and they would push hard together to slowly turn the engine round as (unlike on heritage lines) reverse-working with 'tender-locomotives' was not permitted on long distance journeys. We also had services from Cheltenham Spa St James as far as Kingham which was on the old Cheltenham and Banbury Line. This route was shared with the M&SWJ as far as Andoversford where the M&SWJ line went south via Cirencester and Swindon (Old Town) and then to Andover where the "South Western" route continued to Southampton. Maybe Ron has filmed some "walks" on part of that route as well. Just to finish here, appreciation to Dean for the information which led you to that old signal box at Broom Junction - what a 'find' that was ! Fascinating stuff Ron, you are providing hours of pleasure to so many who have recollections of so much that has, sadly, been lost for good now. I send greetings from Harrow & Wealdstone - right next to the West Coast Main Line !
@@BernieHollandMusic Thanks Bernie you are very kind, loved your memories, thanks for sharing. Yes I have filmed the Cheltenham to Banbury Direct Railway as well as part of the M&SWJR some time ago, should all be on my channel somewhere. Take care. Ron
@@BernieHollandMusic Thank you. It is one of those things I have wondered about.
It will happen. Just a matter of time,and cash of course.
I'm sure you are right Michael, but I suspect Covid will have set it back some. Ron
We were looking down the line from "Bridge 1" a couple of evenings ago.... The path down to the trackbed looked a bit steep 😱
Nice place to live and walk. Ron
Well I enjoyed watching parts 1 and 2 of this journey it was great. Do you know anything about broom Junction.
No I don't Dean, but it looks very interesting, do you know if there are any remains or access? P.W.
@@ParkinsonsWalks Near Salford prior you have station road which leads you to the A46. At the island take a left go down the A46 and if you look on your right you will be able to see the old line and you will notice the old signal box.
@@ParkinsonsWalks I believe the old line run into Alcester and from broom Junction it went to Stratford the other way.
@@deandaniels203 Thanks Dean. P.W.
@@deandaniels203 Super Dean thanks for your trouble. P.W.
Loved your 2 videos. I suspect the 2nd bridge at Honeybourne was built as not shown on your old map the line also went North (it still goes to the former military site-now used for storage of stock between contracts)-the line on which the freight train is standing so the railway was a triangle. The wooden track you mentioned at Honeyborne I think was placed there as a token possible future GWSR platform (or as you say may be original) when the 2nd platform was rebuilt during track redoubling-there was also a single length under the new rail bridge where you walked but I didn't notice it in your video. The GWSR does not currently own the trackbed from Broadway to Honeybourne (unless that has changed recently)-they do own the overgrown bit in your first video -the owners of the trackbed to Honeybourne were going to put a cycle path on it some years ago and I suspect in the distant future it will have a single track and adjacent cycle path -who knows?
Thanks for the info, nice to hear from someone who has detailed knowledge.
I've been trying to follow what's happening and watched the redoubling of the Evesham Honeybourne videos on youtube . Evesham was my birthplace but I moved away in the early 70s. I really hope GWSR make it to Honeybourne in the not too distant future-each GWSR volunteer seems to have different viewpoints as to if or when it might happen-I think for now they are very happy with their reopening of Broadway and correctly focused on getting that finished ie the cafe, 2nd platform and bringing the new signal box into operation
The problem with the link to Honeybourne isn’t the track bed, it’s the bridges. They will need a fortune spent on them in the not too distant future, and the GWR don’t feel that a link to the main line, whilst desirable, would bring in sufficient additional revenue to cover the costs. I have heard that the present owners of the line would be very willing to do a deal to offload the liability. Hearsay of course. The biggest draw would be the race meets at Cheltenham, where potentially it would allow direct rail access from anywhere in the country to the races, but at present there are not enough large events to swing it. I think it needs a little joined up thinking between the railway and the Race Course.
On my channel there is a whole section dedicated to abandoned railways in the area, are there any more that you have any information on?
I have a couple of good books on the history of lines in that area one is 'Hereford & Worcester Railways remembered 'by Leslie Oppitz the other covers a larger area 'Forgotten Railways Chilterns and Cotswolds' by R Davies and M D Grant-also I have other area similar books inc N Wales and London specific lines-I find the background history of these lines interesting. There is also a video on youtube showing Evesham stations in the 60s (I may be earlier) and the massive track layout compared with now-there are some on Shrub Hill but surprisingly no major changes to the basic track layout-maybe a bit less! I know GWSR have spent a lot on some of the bridges they do own recently-they have a bridges blog in the links from their main website- it is hard to tell how much extra income would be generated by the extension to Honeybourne-there are some that want the Stratford=Honeybourne reinstated as part of the main rail network and have shown simulated videos of how the road at Stratford (built on trackbed) could be bypassed but that is probably someones dream-very unlikely but if it happened then there maybe a case for running through freight from Stratford to Cheltenham paying a fee to GWSR-probably not happening in my lifetime but it would be nice.
I found the Evesham video -1963 th-cam.com/video/rvqA0ZLM52M/w-d-xo.html