I wonder if Brunel et al has a Steering Group to design and build the place originally?

Or did they just have a vision of wonder and go for it...?

I would have thought attracting external investment would be more important. I assume any Bristol local currency paid to First Group wouldn't go direct to the national pot then? Doubt it. And therefore utterly pointless.

Wouldn't they be better off accepting Bitcoin?

http://www.bitcoin.com

I still reckon that NR^» (Network Rail - home page) could take a leaf out of this Austrailian MTM train operator's approach.

http://www.dumbwaystodie.com/

Superb.

I noticed the lack of a third rail too. The sleeper shape would also confuse tamper operators...

It looks like the route opened around 11:00

National Rail Enquiries is now showing trains running through relatively disruption free.

When you get to that sort of speed, the bypassed platforms really should be on either a loop or some for of platform edge protection doors/barrier need to be fitted. Both expensive, and places like Swindon where the old down loop was ripped out and the formation built on top of for Platform 4 haven't helped.

Slough (Up/Down Main platforms) is a pretty un-nerving place to be when a HST^▸ (High Speed Train) passes at 125. Perhaps those platforms should be locked out of use until specific stopping trains are inbound.

A great effort ST. Very important to record these details. I don't think much is planned at the Kemble end during this block, mainly slewing the operational track to enable the second track to be fully laid prior to the final 'chop and shut' blockade next year.

Best of luck to the team carrying out the works, let's hope they have their summer holidays booked for September to relax after such an effort.

Thanks RS,

Website development still in progress. Been focussing on creating the station instead ;-)

You are correct that this scheme prevents a direct heavy rail connection to the racecourse at Cheltenham Spa. However, there are other options that we are suggesting to make future provision for the very important Heavy Rail connection to CNM^» (Cheltenham Spa - next trains) Racecource and Honeybourne, without digging up the middle of Cheltenham.

The scheme makes passive provision for future overhead electrification - with appropriate vertical clearances etc, but as the current electrification strategy does not include Swindon/Gloucester etc, it is not shown at this stage.

video of scheme available on:

www.northtosouthrailways.co.uk

Yesterday, 17th July 2013, the board of the Gloucestershire Transport Body voted to endorse the shortlisted schemes that would receive funding.

The Cheltenham Spa Station scheme has been funded for the initial ^3.5M design, and early works phase.

See:

http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/21st-century-vision-Cheltenham-Spa-railway/story-19534488-detail/story.html

includes:


By JACK MAIDMENT



AMBITIOUS plans for the ^20million redevelopment of Cheltenham Spa Station have taken a major step forward.

Transport chiefs yesterday decided to award more than ^3million of funding to the improvement plan, which would see a massive revamp of the station.

Two new platforms would provide a terminus for trains to and from London Paddington and Wales, freeing up the existing platforms to reduce frustrating delays.

It is hoped the award of ^3.3million by the county's Local Transport Board will help the project ^ the work of the Cheltenham Development Task Force ^ become a reality.

And as well as the new platforms, the station would also see passenger facilities updated to meet 21st century demands with new shops, new cycle options and a purpose-built taxi rank and bus interchange.

Parking at the transport hub would also be expanded with the possible creation of a main car park on stilts with enough spaces for 400 cars.

There would also be a new short stay car park constructed off Gloucester Road.

The money has been provided by the Department for Transport, which is also funding three other projects in the county.

Michael Ratcliffe, chief executive of Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce, said: "This is a major step forward and this would certainly be of major benefit both to Cheltenham and to Gloucestershire as a whole.

"We believe it is possible. The task force and the chamber have done a lot of work to get to where we are, but there is still a long way to go.

"It is an extremely exciting project and this is just the beginning of a long journey."

The task force will now have the challenge of finding the rest of the money to get the project off the ground.

The cash will hopefully come from investment from the likes of Network Rail and other rail franchisees.

Steve Jordan, leader of Cheltenham Borough Council, added: "This is great for Cheltenham and for the whole area."

Three other projects were also chosen by the Local Transport Board to receive funding.

Plans for a new bus lane on the A40 in Benhall, the creation of a bus corridor to the west of Cheltenham and a scheme to improve the Over Roundabout and Highnam Lodge near Gloucester were all given cash.

Ends.

There has now been a story in the Gloucestershire Echo:

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/Cheltenham-Spa-train-station-bid-running-millions/story-19463804-detail/story.html#axzz2Y0gWE44H
New hope for ^20m Cheltenham Spa train station revamp
Wednesday, July 03, 2013

Gloucestershire Echo

By JACK MAIDMENT

A ^20 million bid to transform Cheltenham Spa railway station has been earmarked as one of the chosen few transport schemes most likely to receive much-sought after Government cash.

Fourteen different bids from across Gloucestershire have now been ranked in order of priority and the ambitious rail plan has made it to fourth on the list.

That means the bid to build two new bay platforms and give the station a major revamp should receive money even in a worst-case-scenario funding hand out from the Department for Transport (DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)).

The Gloucestershire Local Transport Board (GLTB) which has ranked the projects on their worth to the county is yet to find out exactly how much money it will receive.

It knows it will receive between ^10 million and ^20 million but should the amount turn out to be at the smaller end of the scale only the top four schemes are likely to benefit.

However, should the hand out veer toward the top of the scale, six, or possibly even more bids could be successful.

The bids ranked above the railway station plan include schemes to create a new bus lane on the A40 in Benhall, make improvements to the Over Roundabout north west of Gloucester and to create bus prioritisation in both directions on the A40 in Cheltenham between Westal Green and the Arle Court roundabout.

If members of the GLTB sign off on the priority list when they meet later this month, the bid from Cheltenham Development Task Force for the railway station should receive ^3.3 million.

It would then have to securehttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png the remaining ^16 million needed to make the project a reality.

Jeremy Williamson, managing director of the task force, said the station expansion would lead to "better connectivity" and "much enhanced passenger facilities".

He said: "This plan is a response to the inadequate facilities at the station. There are now 1.8 million passengers passing through Cheltenham every year but we have a 1960s, post-Beeching report, rail network which is simply no longer fit for purpose."

If all goes to plan work on the station could be completed by March 2019.

If the priority list is approved by members of the GLTB it will be submitted to DfT on July 31.

The previous link to the Gloucestershire Local Transport Body's Website is now reinstated:

http://www.gltb.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=114104

The decisions and scheme description are outlined in the associated pages.

I would encourage any of the forum users to write to the LTB if they are inclined to support the scheme. Unfortunately any positive comments made here make no impact - a direct note may do.

Text from the link includes:


Prioritised list of schemes
 
Prioritised Schemes - Recommended Priority List

Promoters of schemes considered to be eligible for GLTB funding completed a prioritisation proforma which provided evidence of impact against five cases; see Technical guidance  for details.

The GLTB officers and consultants scored each scheme and provided an opportunity for promoters to provide any additional comments / information. A total of 14 schemes have been subject to this prioritisation process.

The maximum score for a scheme is 26. The prioritised list of scores, produced and recommended by the GLTB Technical Officer, is shown in Annexes B and C: GLTB Meeting 17 July 2012

The recommended scores are based on a technical assessment of schemes, on which comments are invited. Written representation regarding any scheme, and based on one or more of the five strategic cases assessed, can be submitted to the board in hard copy or via email here.

http://www.gltb.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=113226&contactid=113230&type=email&contact=yes

The deadline for any written comments is midday Wednesday 10 July 2013.

The report to the forthcoming GLTB meeting on 17 July has summarised the number of schemes that could be prioritised under three funding scenarios.  At this stage, the recommended scores and investment programme has not been agreed by GLTB members, who will meet on 17 July.  Neither has the Department for Transport (DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)) confirmed how much money the GLTB will have to invest.  Therefore at this stage, there is no guarantee of funding for any scheme.

Next steps

The actual GLTB funding allocation will be confirmed in due course. If the priority list is approved by GLTB members on 17 July, the next steps will be as follows:
^Submission of Priority List to DfT - 31 July 2013.
^Scope of business case and economic appraisal work for each scheme to be developed and agreed - Autumn 2013.
^Project programmes for each scheme to be developed and agreed - by December 2013.
^Firm capped contributions for each scheme to be developed and agreed - by early 2014.
^Next GLTB meeting to approve the programme and scheme costs - by March 2014.

Promoters of the highest priority schemes, as decided by GLTB members, will then be expected to progress their schemes in line with an agreed programme.  There will be no guarantee of any funding for scheme construction until each promoter has obtained all the necessary statutory consents and obtained a price to construct the scheme that is in line with an agreed GLTB financial contribution.

See:

http://www.gltb.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=114104

The station scheme is 4th in the GLTB priority list, which is quite an achievement.

Just an update for all interested about this scheme; we are hoping to hear tomorrow (Wednesday 19th June) whether the scheme is shortlisted for funding...