Questions

Can you explain what syphons are, and what function they have on the railway?

I’ve noticed that a couple of the railway’s bridges are being refurbished. Is this a long-term programme?

How many bridges / viaducts / tunnels etc. does the railway have?

How far North does the GWR’s trackbed extend?

Why are there areas of pine trees along the GWR’s trackbed?

Answers

Can you explain what syphons are, and what function they have on the railway?

A siphon is where the water course crossing the railway is at a higher level on both sides of the trackbed.

The water therefore has to drop to a lower level than the trackbed on the inward side, and rise again on the outlet side. A chamber is constructed on the inward side, connected to a pipe under the trackbed, and then rises through another chamber on the outlet side of the trackbed.

The pressure of water on the inlet side forces the water through the pipe and up the outlet chamber until it reaches the same level as on the inlet side, thus allowing the water to flow away on the outlet side of the trackbed.
[July 2005]

I’ve noticed that a couple of the railway’s bridges are being refurbished. Is this a long-term programme?

We have contracted a local steel fabricating company to carry out refurbishment of some of our steel bridges, most of which are now at least a century old. This involves repair to the steelwork, cleaning and repainting in chocolate and cream, which is visually more appealing than the original grey.
Question asked 15.03.2005, answered by the Engineering Director.

How many bridges / viaducts / tunnels etc. does the railway have?

Remarkably, the railway has 88 structures of one sort or another which either cross or are crossed by the line over the 15 miles from Cheltenham to Broadway. For a full explanation and a list of these structures, which include three siphons and an aqueduct as well as culverts, bridges, tunnels and a viaduct, click here.
Question asked 15.03.2005, answered by the Engineering Director.

How far North does the GWR’s trackbed extend?

Our northern boundary is at Springfield Lane Bridge (UK grid reference SP 091 386) which is, at 4 miles 50 chains from Honeybourne Junction, approximately 20 chains beyond the old station site at Broadway. (A chain is 22 yards long - the length of a cricket pitch - and hence there are 80 chains in a mile).
Question asked 11.01.05, answered by the Engineering Director.

Why are there areas of pine trees along the GWR’s trackbed?

The GWR marked its stations with these pine trees which today makes locating the sites of former stations quite easy.  It is not certain that this practice was widespread throughout the GWR system but it was certainly true of latter days. The Stratford to Cheltenham line was a
latecomer, being opened throughout in 1906 and, apart from the small halts, you'll see the pines at Cheltenham Malvern Road, Cheltenham Race Course, Bishops Cleeve, Gotherington, Winchcombe, but curiously not at Toddington (there is a different species of pine here); Broadway, Weston sub Edge, Milcote etc. and on to Birmingham.

You will also see them at the former stations on the Cheltenham-Kingham line, for example at Andoversford Junction where they make a nice setting for new houses built there.  The trees were planted when the stations were built so the original trees on our line are in fact, at least 100 years old. The idea was to screen and help blend the stations with the surrounding area, according to Audie Baker's excellent book, An illustrated history of the Stratford on Avon to Cheltenham Railway (Irwell Press, 1994 which is unfortunately now out of print); and perhaps to provide something of a wind break - but the choice is curious given that they are today extremely conspicuous and are hardly an appropriate Cotswold species.  It may be that they were picked as being both robust, able to thrive on a variety of soils and relatively fast growing - and perhaps they were chosen to reflect their use as ornamation at fine houses in the area, as you surmise.

Today the trees produce copious quantities of cones and needles which can be a bit of a nuisance.  However, they are generally in very good health and are certainly an attractive feature of our line.

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