It has been a hellish 2 years for the GWSR.  The Gloucestershire Warwickshire, marketed as ‘The Honeybourne Line’ to draw attention to its long term intention of restoring the link with the Network Rail Cotswold Line at Honeybourne Junction, has been pulled sharply back in its expansionist inclinations with the 2 horrendous land slips at Gotherington and Chicken Curve.

Both these problems have forced the railway (and other heritage railways, too) not only to tighten its belt til its ribs pinched, but to focus on really core issues before it can move forward.  The investigations have shown how badly the railway was constructed by the GWR in 1906 and how many problems there were in GWR and BR days which culminated in its 1976 closure.

Quite apart from the huge expense of repairing the embankments, the railway has dug deep into all sorts of other issues that will ultimately allow it to look back at a very strong learning period that was necessary, if painful, at the time. Now we can (just about) allow ourselves a glimpse of the future and getting steam trains into Broadway by 2015.

Below you can watch 5 bits of video I took yesterday showing the extension northwards as it is at the moment.  Lots to do and we need all the help we can get, so please keep donating to the Slip Fund and we wold love to see you at Broadway, Toddington or Winchcombe in any capacity you like.  Click here to go to the GWSR website.