Great Western Coffee Shop

4 miles? Just right for a bus?

The best route for that is the old Midland and South Western Junction Railway from Cirencester to Swindon, some of which still exists as the Swindon and Cricklade heritage line. The trouble is that bits of Cricklade and most of North Swindon have now encroached on the old line so it would be a non-starter.

I agree with al that has been said.

I think the only service that would make sense would be a Cirencester to Swindon Service, with possible additional stops at Kemble, Purton and Moredon Bridge (for the large estates in North Swindon).

The best route for that is the old Midland and South Western Junction Railway from Cirencester to Swindon, some of which still exists as the Swindon and Cricklade heritage line. The trouble is that bits of Cricklade and most of North Swindon have now encroached on the old line so it would be a non-starter.

The comment about adding a halt purely for the B&B also raised an eyebrow. Really? Constructing a halt purely for one B&B?

Re-opening the Cirencester Branch is talked about from time to time including on the Coffee Shop: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=14439.0 (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=14439.0)

I really don't think they will get far as the route has been built over in Cirencester and that means that you would have to travel to a station on the outskirts for a 3 mile ride to Kemble.

Nice but hopeless.

That would be an all-new line (albeit a rather good one) - Northleach never had a railway station. The line north from Cirencester Watermoor went to Chedworth, Andoversford, and Cheltenham: at Andoversford, there was a junction to Bourton, Stow and Kingham, and thence to Chipping Norton and Banbury.

THE capital of the Cotswolds may soon have its first train link in 50 years.

Early plans are afoot to reopen the defunct line between Cirencester and Kemble, serviced by an ultra-modern, eco-friendly train.

Cirencester's Mayor Cllr Mark Harris is spearheading the innovative project along with Richard and Jane Gunner, of Whiteway Farm, to lay 5km of track from the commuter station to the edge of the proposed Chesterton development.

At a Cotswold District Council (CDC) cabinet meeting in April, Cllr Harris and Kemble councillor Tony Berry laid out the vision to fellow members, saying a car park could be laid under electricity pylons in Cirencester and a regular bus route could ferry passengers to the town centre.

They explained the proposal was being driven by Warwick University, among others, where researchers were keen to test a new driverless ^very light train^ train it is developing.

It is hoped funding could come from county business promoter GFrist LEP, the EU or other funding bodies.

Cllr Harris told the Standard that proposals were in their early stages but if everything went to plan trains could be whistling along the track in three to five years.

^We^re lucky that it is already very flat, though there is still a lot of work to do, including putting up a bridge over the Kemble road,^ he said.

^But it would reduce the need for parking, reduce cars on the road, and allow people in Cirencester to get to places like Gloucester and Stroud much more easily.^

Around 1,700 more travel in to Cirencester every day than travel out, creating congestion on the roads and pressure on parking.

A new train line with carriages able to fit around 100 people could ease these problems, while giving commuters a fast link to London.

Cirencester station was closed as part of the Beeching Report in the 1960s, along with thousands of smaller stations across the country deemed ^unprofitable^. The former station in Sheep Street was one of the 2,128 which closed.

Mayor Harris and the Gunners are meeting with the team from Warwick University and Geoffrey Clifton Brown to discuss the idea. He hopes a cycle track could accompany the line if plans go ahead.

The move received tentative support from CDC deputy leader Nicholas Parsons who said it was ^an interesting concept^.

Many other other groups in Cirencester have also voiced their support for the project.

They hope the move will bring down the Cotswolds^ carbon footprint while taking cars off the road.

To find out more about the project go to cirentrain.org.uk.

though I can't actually find Whiteway Farm on a map.  

Its cheaper to run a bus service.

If the council provide the funds for a 6 month trial, matching whatever proposed timetable for the proposed link, lets see how many would use the service.

I think that may be poor journalism. If you download the scheme document, its authors are from Whiteway House, The Whiteway - which is a road off the A417 to the NE of Ciren (i.e. not particularly near the scheme itself...)

Very interesting picture. What's the unit? Looks like a single car Desiro/ Talent/Flirt?

"EARLY plans to bring a new railway line into Cirencester are steaming ahead after a meeting with top government officials.

The capital of the Cotswolds was buzzing with excitement last week after the Standard broke the news that new track could be laid along the line to Kemble, opening Cirencester to the national rail network for the first time since 1964.

Mayor Mark Harris and Richard and Jane Gunner, of Whiteway Farm, are forging forward with the proposal which would see an ultra-modern, eco-friendly train running the 5km from station to station.

Mayor Harris, who was elected for a second term last week, said he had been "inundated with messages of support for the vision".

"Everyone is incredibly excited about the prospect of reopening the Kemble to Cirencester railway line," he said.

"It is important to stress that at this stage we are looking at carrying out a feasibility study which will address issues such as: is it physically possible? How will landowners be effected? Does it have public support and, crucially, will people actually use it?"

Last Wednesday he went to London to pitch the idea to the Department of Transport in order to get funds for that feasibility study.

The "Dragon's Den-type event" included a panel of Lord Faulkner of Worcester, millionaire and train enthusiast Sir William McAlpine, senior tourism figure Debbie Wells and Mark Garnier MP."

A Cotswold town could be linked to mainline rail services again if a plan for a new line is approved.

Services from Cirencester were axed in the 1960s as part of the Beeching cuts leaving only services from the nearby village of Kemble.

But now, Cirencester Community Railway wants to raise funds for a feasibility study to lay four miles of track.

The plan involves a "light" rail service which would link to mainline services in Kemble.

Recently, a scheme to double the track at Kemble at a cost of £45m, was completed by Network Rail.




That route links Cheltenham, Gloucester and Kemble with Swindon and London Paddington.

And a light train service from Cirencester could link up to Kemble meaning people would not have to drive and park there.

The group's Richard Gunner said £75,000 is needed to fund a study to estimate how many people would use the service.

Cirencester mayor Mark Harris said the plan was at "very, very early stages" but added it would "free up the roads" and help with under-pressure parking in the town.

He added that the plan would also help link up the town with London and make it "so much easier" to do business with the capital.

The £13m proposal includes a new station in Cirencester at Chesterton and a bridge being built over the A429 at Kemble.

The scheme could also alleviate parking issues in Kemble where a small car park is often full with motorists having to park in nearby roads.

A Great Western Railway spokesman said the firm wanted to build a new car park.

"We are currently awaiting planning consent from Cotswold District Council which we understand should be granted shortly."

I'm sure there was a thread on this topic...

Sorry - this was a story from the Wilts & Gloucester Standard newspaper: -



The phrases "steaming ahead" and "top government officials" do little to inject any optimism into this story, but who knows, somebody on the Forum might be able to shed some light on this.

By sublime coincidence, Mrs FT, N! was today left hanging around Kemble station for half an hour for the bus to Cirencester.

I am on record as stating that, second to Nailsea & Backwell, my favourite railway station is Kemble.  It's well worth having a wander around there, if you have that half hour to spare, as an occasional visitor.  ;)

Plans to build a new railway line from Kemble to Cirencester look to be back on track.

Fundraising for a £53,000 feasibility study had stalled but Cotswold District Council will now invest £13,000 to make up the shortfall.

Now the plan, which has been four years in the making, can be put into motion with the aim of unlocking Government funding from a £500m pot designed to reopen lines closed in the 1960s following the Beeching Report.

Cllr Mark Harris, who, with Cllr Tony Berry, has been involved with the Cirencester Community Railway since its inception, proposed a motion for the funding to be granted at a meeting of the full Council last week which was duly passed.

Cllr Harris said: “Being able to carry out this feasibility study is the first step in bringing forward the line which will be of tremendous benefit for commuters and tourists alike.

“It will also be a very light railway which will have minimal impact on the environment and encourage people to stop using their cars for commuting, so helping our commitment to combating climate change.”

It is intended to build a single-track line with passing places which will follow the old route as far as possible before terminating near the centre of Cirencester.

The service will then link in with the recently dualled line between Swindon and Kemble which in turn connects to London Paddington.

It is hoped that the new line will also provide a template for others in the Cotswolds, including Tetbury and Bourton.

For more information visit cirentrain.org.uk

I also suspect business cases for lines that connect with other lines at each end, rather than branch lines, will be far better....the case for this one must be quite small

... look at Tweedbank...

Maybe some one should do a survey on how many passengers join the direct trains to London at Kemble in the rush
As well as the local trains from Kemble to Swindon,when everything settles down.
Okay,I volunteer so If everything has settled down maybe september would be a good time

Maybe some one should do a survey on how many passengers join the direct trains to London at Kemble in the rush
As well as the local trains from Kemble to Swindon,when everything settles down.
Okay,I volunteer so If everything has settled down maybe september would be a good time

I think the real question is, of those who commute from Kemble to Swindon/London in the rush hour, how many of them come from Cirencester itself? My suspicion is ....

A Ciren to Swindon shuttle might make more sense than one terminating at Kemble.

Now - there were two intermediate halts on the line. Wonder if the plan includes either of them?