GWSR offered trackbed to Honeybourne
THE TRACKBED between the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway’s current northern terminus of Broadway and Honeybourne has been offered to the heritage railway.
At present, the 4½-mile stretch of trackbed is owned by Railway Paths Limited, a subsidiary of Sustrans, which converts old railway routes into footpaths and cycle ways. However, the Department for Transport has blocked the move, as it is concerned the heritage railway would not have the capital – or resources – to maintain road bridges along the route, according to Richard Johnson, the GWSR’s chairman.
“The Department for Transport has said disused railway lines should not be put in the custody of heritage railways because of the cost of maintaining road bridges. The road bridges that are along the route are in a deplorable state, so whoever takes on ownership will have a multi-million liability to maintain,” he told Steam Railway. “The only way in which we could acquire the line is if the local authority takes ownership of it – and agrees to maintain the bridges – and we then come to an arrangement with it.”
However, Steam Railway understands that the line would need to approach the leader of Worcestershire County Council, while part of the trackbed is in the neighbouring county of Gloucestershire.
Even if a solution can be found to secure the future of the trackbed, Johnson was ambivalent about the railway being extended north in the future. “Without the issue relating to the bridges, it would cost many millions of pounds to reinstate the section because of the earthworks, drainage and fencing that would have to be done before you even think about laying down track and, of course, Honeybourne isn’t a destination for a heritage railway; there’s no reason to get off there unless you live there,” he added.