Great Western Coffee Shop

Your intrepid reporter has been out today to look at the bridge that is to be replaced in May.

(https://i.ibb.co/n7vLzY4/George-Lane-2.jpg)
This picture is looking south twards the villege centre. One of the problems is that the wall on the west side is leaning in.

(https://i.ibb.co/d2zcRCp/George-Lane-3.jpg)
Another one is the beams are badley rusted.

It's hardly pretty but there's something quite satisfying about that bridge (apart from the state it's in); it's a railway bridge over a muddy minor road that looks exactly like a railway bridge over a muddy minor road.  :)

Walked out that way Yesterday the 26th of April and the contractors have just statrted preparing the site for their compound.

I travelled on the line today for the first time in several months and I discovered there is a speed restriction north of Evesham, just a short distance past where the single track begins. Is this bridge replacement the cause of it or is that something else?

That’s due to the condition of the track over Charlton level crossing, so not related to bridge works.

Over many, many years, there's just been too much piddle against the west brick wall, and too much piddle from toilets on the trains travelling above.

That's why wyre now having to replace that bridge.

CfN.  ;)

Your Intrepid reporter has walked 12 miles today to bring the Coffee shop up to date on the works in progress between Evesham and Pershore.
(https://i.ibb.co/Fb9n3MN/George-Lane-31st-May.jpg)
First of all the main Job at George lane Wyre Piddle. The new bridge has been lifted into place by a massive King lifting crane. Now they have to rebuild the embankments this will require 40,000 tons of stone I am told.
(https://i.ibb.co/ZSwn4YM/George-Lane2-31st-May.jpg)
Then a distant view of the crane also showing the temporary road constructed to site.
(https://i.ibb.co/P9zGhr8/Fladbury-Bridge1.jpg)
The second job is rebuilding or replacing the small span on the Evesham side of the river Avon bridge at Fladbury. The main bridge was replaced in the 50s/60s but this small span that allows the farmer to access the fields beyond the bridge was left at that time.
(https://i.ibb.co/Jc1ZfnZ/Fladbury-Station2.jpg)
A view of the Fladbury job from the road bridge in Fladbury village west of the Avon.
(https://i.ibb.co/JcbVrVv/Fladbury-Station1.jpg)
There is also an RRV access point at the site of Fladbury Station west of the road bridge.
(https://i.ibb.co/254w23g/Charlton1.jpg)
A smaller job is Trackbed repairs at Sidings lane crossing Charlton.
(https://i.ibb.co/Kmk53qd/Charlton2.jpg)
There is a temporary access road from Sidings lane to the river bridge site.

After all this walking your reporter had to adjourn to the Gardeners arms in Charlton for Sausage and chips. All I need to do now is find out how to submit my lunch expenses claim to the Coffee shop.

Your 12-mile walk was probably faster than the RRB route via Honeybourne. I applaud GWR for their new scenic tour of the Cotswolds, but it would be nice if some Honeybourne passengers actually used it so that the rest of us felt better about the detour inflicted on us...

I just wish GWR was running more of the direct services from Worcester via the Golden Valley line. Currently we have 2 early morning and 1 late evening. It is possible to travel both ways direct from Worcester to Paddington avoiding the RRB but it would be a long day. I assume lack of drivers with route awareness is the reason why?

What are connections like from London - Cheltenham Spa trains into Bristol - Gloucester - Worcester trains, and vice versa? Aren't there "via Evesham" prices which might put people off the more expensive "Any Permitted"?

My assumption is that "Via Evesham" tickets from Worcester are being accepted on the direct trains via the Golden Valley line for the duration of the line blockade. It would be a pretty poor show from GWR if that wasn't the case!

for Friday this week ... from GWR's ticket sale web site:
Anytime Single 06:24 WOS, 09:24 PAD - £106.10 (via New Street and Euston)
Anytime Day Single 07:30 WOS, 09:59 PAD - £94.80 (direct train via Kemble)
Anytime Day Single 08:04 WOS, 11:24 PAD - £45.80 (bus and then train via Evesham)

At the time of writing, Advance fares on offer at £44.80 on the direct train via Kemble, and at £44.10 on bus-train via Evesham

Whether Revenue Protection and/or Train Manager would sanction you for using a "via Evesham" ticket and pursue the matter right through the system is doubtful;  it really wouldn't look good in the papers ... but technically you would be travelling without a valid ticket for the route you were taking.

From the Man in Seat 61 on routeing and tickets:-


So I don't think technically one is ticketless. Same as travelling on a peak train with an off-peak ticket.

It looks like there isn't an any permitted fare from Worcester Stns to London Terminals. The choice seems to be:

• via Evesham (SOR £91.60)
• WMR & LNR Only (ADT £105.00)
• Via H Wyc & Birm (SOR £127.20)
• Evesham/Stroud (SOR £189.60)
• via Birmingham (SOR £206.20)

Does this mean that it's forbidden to go one way via Birmingham and the other via Evesham/Stroud?

No - it means you need to buy single tickets each way rather than a return. On most (all?) of the fares quoted, the SOR is twice the SOS anyway.


Agreed - liable to be charged a significant amount - as I read it, not just the difference in fares but a whole new fare?

Does anyone know if there is any work going on between Evesham and Moreton?

If not they could have run to Evesham. But it may have needed single line working on the down line so that engineers trains or on track plant could use the up line to get to the sidings at Honeybourne.

The Man in Seat Number 61 (who IIRC was employed within the railway ticketing system) states that it is only the difference (if any) between the two. The ticket one holds has its face value to contribute to the excess calculation - which I agree might still be a significant amount.

A Quick walk to George lane this morning and there is some track in place the road railer is in rail mode.
(https://i.ibb.co/5B8JXnn/George-Lane-03-June.jpg)

I have ventured out today to bring you a further report.
(https://i.ibb.co/dJ9YpLk/George-Lane-1-19th-June.jpg)
Looks like just the road to complete and the site to clear.
(https://i.ibb.co/d7MRyKk/George-Lane-2-19th-June-jpg.jpg)
Howerver as no work is going on today. The job is going to overun even going by the bit on the sign that says 6 weeks never mind the 10th May to 11th June bit.

Finally today I can report that the track under the bridge is open again (But you will need wellies)
(https://i.ibb.co/N2XxDn2/30thJuly.jpg)
As I was always told the job is not finished until you have cleaned up so some way to go yet.

Good to see it was a 'like for like' double span replacement.  Especially important given this section is mooted for redoubling, and the temptation in previous decades to cut costs by only providing the necessary width for the current situation.  However, the other bridge span replaced at the same time, over the river at Fladbury, looks like it would need further works for a second track to be added which is disappointing if it's the case.

The Site at Fladbury has finaly been handed back and the footpath opened. I took some pictures on Saturday the 28th August.
(https://i.ibb.co/LrqT7Tg/Fladbury-Aug28th-1.jpg)
Looking from the south side showning the new span for the current single line.
(https://i.ibb.co/LddsKV5/Fladbury-Aug28th-3.jpg)
The north side span has not been renewed but some work has been done.
(https://i.ibb.co/W5vFLxS/Fladbury-Aug28th-2.jpg)
Also some work has been done on the main span supports in the river.