Preservation - What if....

[Gary]

Idly thinking away following the line tour the other day and reading about the revival of the S&D that seems to be coming on in leaps and bounds, I was wondering - one of those "What if" questions and it is:

 

If possible to have preserved or set up a preservation line as part of the SMJ - what bit would you have gone for and why?

[David Wellstood]

Some more thoughts about Binton / Stoke Bruerne - I think both should be considered. Where would the SMJ like to be in 10 years time? A museum and an operating steam heritage line? Why not? I am not so familiar with Stoke Bruerne, but I know Binton and the line there a lot better. There are 4 miles of trackbed between Binton station and what was Stratford Old Town, and as far as I know, most of the trackbed still exists. Stratford Old Town is now a housing estate and ring road, but close to where the SMJ line crossed the GWR line to Cheltenham is the site of the old Stratford racecourse platform. The Gloucester and Warwickshire railway based at Toddington has the aim to reopen the GWR line from Cheltenham racecourse to Stratford racecourse platform - They are presently busy rebuilding Broadway station. The Stratford racecourse location for the SMJ would be an ideal place for a junction / exchange platform for both railways - and an ideal tourist attraction. I would like to revisit the area and see for myself the practicality of all this, but I presently live in the Netherlands, so a day trip is a little out of the question.

David.

[Gary]

Hi David,

 

Oddly enough I was thinking today - where do we see our group of like minded people in the future?

What do/did we want and thought that a permanent museum would be a good start. Even a virtual one would be something. A heritage line would also be good but where and that would take some fund raising and organising.?

 

Years ago as a day dreaming teenager I idly thought of a heritage centre initially in the area between Greens Norton Junction and the A43 but where would be the draw? 

 

Stratford from Binton would be good but there would be little chance of connecting without the construction of a new spur as the the housing estate has been extended alongside the racecourse now and the trackbed from the GWR crossing to the outskirts of Stratford is part of a housing estate and the line forms a footpath through it.

Stoke Bruerne being a private house would be harder to establish I would imagine. It has been mentioned that the A43 covers part of the trackbed but I am sure a deviation could be run alongside. The draw would be at either end but a station at Towcester would have to be established on a different site. Perhaps a brand new site in the former quarry area and called Easton Neston would be better?

What do others think? We all dream the dreams but what do we want and see ourselves?

 

ATVB

G

[Peter S Lewis]

Hello Gary and David...

In 10 years time where will the SMJ Society be?

The thoughts re Binton staion buildings (at £31,000 per annum rent!!) crossed my mind...Use of it as a heritage centre, storage for other heritage groups maybe to offset the rent...!!)

 

Re-establishing the route to Stratford Racecourse....two bridges would have to be reinstated...one at Welford 100 yards north of Binton, and another crossing the Luddington Road at the Evesham Road Junction in Stratford....

A seriously wealthy benefactor would be  useful......and that of course would be fine, as long as it would be possible to get planning permissions to use the Binton site as a heritage centre....

 

Peter
Gary said:

Hi David,

 

Oddly enough I was thinking today - where do we see our group of like minded people in the future?

What do/did we want and thought that a permanent museum would be a good start. Even a virtual one would be something. A heritage line would also be good but where and that would take some fund raising and organising.?

 

Years ago as a day dreaming teenager I idly thought of a heritage centre initially in the area between Greens Norton Junction and the A43 but where would be the draw? 

 

Stratford from Binton would be good but there would be little chance of connecting without the construction of a new spur as the the housing estate has been extended alongside the racecourse now and the trackbed from the GWR crossing to the outskirts of Stratford is part of a housing estate and the line forms a footpath through it.

Stoke Bruerne being a private house would be harder to establish I would imagine. It has been mentioned that the A43 covers part of the trackbed but I am sure a deviation could be run alongside. The draw would be at either end but a station at Towcester would have to be established on a different site. Perhaps a brand new site in the former quarry area and called Easton Neston would be better?

What do others think? We all dream the dreams but what do we want and see ourselves?

 

ATVB

G

[Dick Bodily]

Gary

Fenny Compton to Stratford, as it would have been viable as a tourist route and would have main line access and could have continued to the GWR station.

Dick

[Gary]

For a short couple of mile line the Clifford Sidings to edge of Goldicote would be quite good having walked it recently. It'd be a quiet return to Stratford as it is mostly up hill to the cutting and when not climbing it is level.

 

Short of a rich benefactor and due to the now very fragmented nature of the line I don't think a real line will ever happen.

[Gary]

Having been to Fenny Compton to photograph the repaired bridge and then Google Earthed it I have to say it would be our best bet for now. Such dreams have been reignited by the comment about that mineral hopper in Dick's photo and thoughts of a museum and preservation. With the land between the GWR line and "ours" ideal for a technical base. It would be nice to see something future but as people have said a wealthy benefactor, not to mention willing hands, would be needed to get any running project off the ground so to speak. Oh well back to my dreams.