Coal Yard Housing Consultation

[craigemery 0]

Hi all

Please see attachment for details

 

 

Coal Yard Gobowen consultation poster.pdf

[Simple Simon 36]

This has been put up around the village.

 

I notice it doesn't mention anything about the plans by Cambrian Heritage Railways to also build three new railway tracks on the site and a platform suitable for 7 carriages and a steam train. A steam train would be...rather noisy, and may cause a little pollution.

[Robmit 7]

 If the plans are realised the station would have three platforms, one of which would be for the Heritage Railway.^[5]

 

 

^{That surely translates into ONE new track which would be the reusing of the old track on Platform THREE.   I DOUBT THAT MANY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN USING A DIRTY OLD STEAM ENGINE THESE DAYS THOUGH.    HOWEVER AN EFFICIENT MODERN ENGINE WITH A RECONNECTION TO OSWESTRY WOULD  BE  GREAT (in my most humble opinion of  course)}

 

[Simple Simon 36]

A modern train can be driven from either direction, but a steam engine has to be put at the front of the carriages, and that means building a loop:

 

The steam train and carriages come into the station and the passengers disembark onto the new platform (but the platform has to connected with something for the passengers to leave the station - a new footbridge, perhaps?). The engine is then disconnected from the carriages and moves further down the line, over some points and then shunted up a new line, over some more points to rejoin the original line and then recoupled to the carriages for its journey home. Clear?

 

It will have to be some kind of heritage service in order for them to get the £10,000,000 award...so no modern locomotive I'm afraid. It is very unlikely that network Rail would allow CHR to use any of their platforms.

 

The 3rd track is a safeguard should anything go wrong with the original engine. It would allow for a second engine to arrive in the station from Oswestry.

 

And then, there's the little problem about parking to handle the masses of tourists coming to Gobowen to ride on the steam service. The existing car park is already at capacity.

[Community Online 65]

Just to note, that the original post and calendar event has been amended to reflect the new end time of 5pm and not 6pm.

[Robmit 7]

  The reason the Gobowen car park is already packed is because many cars are from Oswestry.   If the train ran from Oswesty then that would surely relieve the situation.  Yes I think I got that thanks

[Simple Simon 36]

@ Robmit:

 

Excepted, but...would commuters currently using the Gobowen car park use a heritage (steam) service operated by volunteers to get to Gobowen and back to Oswestry at the end of the working day?

 

Remember, CHR are after money from the Lottery Heritage Fund, and the key word here is "heritage". That word doesn't include cycle/walking routes or any kind of HS2 service.

 

It also means that steam trains will be crossing the bypass during rush hours (just think about that).

 

Steam trains need coal and water. Where would that be stored?

 

Do you think Network Rail will work in harmony with CHR?

 

I'm full of silly questions and I'm not expecting answers from you. But I am expecting them from the people who bought the line in the first place (and that, I'm afraid, was all of us).

[Robmit 7]

I don't  consider your questions silly at all Simon and I consider all comments interesting.   As a car driver and cyclist who dreads crossing the roundabout on the the A5 from B5069 to Gobowen road on the other side (very few vehicle drivers know which lane they should be in when taking any direction other than to the right towards Chirk) I do see your point concerning the crossing of the A5 by any sort of train would cause a huge tail-back of vehicles.

 

Regrettably I cant think of anything else silly enough to add - at this time!

[Simple Simon 36]

I couldn't agree more with your comment regarding how certain drivers treat the Gobowen roundabout. Because it has 5 exits very few drivers get into the correct lane or indicate their exit point.

 

The coal yard project appears to be mired in confusion. I've now heard that there are plans to extend the existing station car park. I think everything is in flux while namesless individuals try and scramble for capital project pots of money. 

 

It appears that nowadays the word "consultation" is used is used to describe a very brief session open to the public with very little prior notification in which oridinary people can come and listen to what has already been decided.

 

There's loads more on this subject here be warned, it will scramble your brains!