Great start - long way to go!
article by: umbraco_system
posted on: 28 April 2011
updated on: 11 June 2011
The Easter weekend put a firm mark in the sand for the
Honeybourne Line's 2011 season, with over 2,000* passengers
carried: blowing away any doubt that the 'divided' railway might
not be a going concern.
The steam operation was warmly welcomed by travellers and
bystanders as
as explained in our earlier story. Meanwhile, the diesel
multiple unit operation out of Toddington did not seem to suffer -
many visitors sampling both. The opportunity to travel over a brand
new extension is indeed rare in the heritage railway sector and the
run over the 15-arch Stanway Viaduct and on to Laverton certainly
doesn't disappoint!
"The weekend's ticket income was well ahead of our budget so our
trains are already making a positive contribution over and above
the costs of running the business," says Malcolm Temple, chairman
of GWSR Plc.
"And our entirely volunteer staff should feel very proud of what
has been achieved, against all the odds.
"What's more, donations to the Emergency Appeal continue to
mount and we have now passed the £half-million mark which is most
heartening. It means that while we are able to enjoy
travelling over the rebuilt Gotherington embankment, we can now
press on with the geo-technical survey of the second collapse at
'Chicken Curve' just north of Winchcombe. We've authorised
new drainage works too, including lining the damaged culvert that
runs beneath the Chicken Curve embankment."
However, Malcolm warns that the railway isn't 'out of the woods'
yet and maintaining both ticket and appeal income is vital to not
just rebuild the embankment but rebuild the railway's financial
stability for the future.
"I feel sure that we can increase our ticket sales over the rest
of the year. Easter has shown that we are very much
Up and Running!
*Over the weekend, 2,034 passengers were
carried: 1,489 on steam and 545 on the DMU
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