The P-Way Landrover comes through the loop "bang road" and passes the S&T Rail Car which is parked on the main.  


View of the inside of Gotherington Signal Box looking south towards Cheltenham Race Course.  

After many years of work by the Signal and Telegraph and Permanent Way departments the passing loop at Gotherington is finally ready for use and indeed will see action during our Santa season.  The loop was hoped to be brought into use for the GWR 175 event but as we all know events on the Gotherington embankment in spring 2010 put paid to this idea.  The track was relaid and the S&T cables replaced shortly after the embankment was repaired and through trains were again able to use the main line through Gotherington in April 2011.  Since then work has continued to complete the loop track work, to get the signalling back to the state that it was in prior to the collapse of the embankment and to complete the electrical side of the signal box installation.

The Permanent Way gang has recently been packing and levelling the loop and finished tidying up the ballast on the loop and main on Wednesday.  The P-Way road-rail Land Rover had the honour of being the first rail vehicle to enter the loop under signals (albeit under a line possession).  The first picture shows the Land Rover in the loop passing the S&T rail car which is parked on the main.

At the same time the S&T lads were busy clearing out the tools and spares from the signal box and installing chairs, a signalman's desk, heaters, light shades and various other ancilliaries needed to make the box usable for signalmen.  The crosses came off the signals and the clips came off the points on Tuesday.  A train register and fault book (hopefully this will remain empty for a while) were provided.  Local special instructions were printed and laminated and today an operations notice was issued letting operations staff know how the loop will be operated.  The second photograph shows the inside of the signal box and the view down the loop towards Cheltenham.

The first public train crossing at Gotherington will occur on Sunday 4th December when the 14:30 ex Winchcombe Dining train passes the 14:30 ex Cheltenham Race Course Santa Special.  The remaining Santa Special dates will also see Santa Specials passing at Gotherington.