Ashchurch for Tewkesbury Station - campaign for renaming and other improvements

[whole diary]

[Btline]

Quite a few parkways need to be AXED, tbh. (not the stations, just the name)

[inspector_blakey]

I'd agree with Didcot not needing to be called Parkway (I assume it's a function of having various enormous car parks rather than a lack of proximity to the town since, as pointed out, it's pretty central). Never really understood why Port Talbot also has the Parkway handle given that is appears to be reasonably central as well.

[anthony215]

I'd agree with Didcot not needing to be called Parkway (I assume it's a function of having various enormous car parks rather than a lack of proximity to the town since, as pointed out, it's pretty central). Never really understood why Port Talbot also has the Parkway handle given that is appears to be reasonably central as well.

Your not the only 1 who has asked that question especially considering how close it is to the town centre.

[paul7575]

I'd agree with Didcot not needing to be called Parkway (I assume it's a function of having various enormous car parks rather than a lack of proximity to the town since, as pointed out, it's pretty central). Never really understood why Port Talbot also has the Parkway handle given that is appears to be reasonably central as well.

There are surely two basic uses of a Parkway?

1.  Drive to the station from the wider catchment area of a town, and catch the train for the last hop into the town to overcome local parking limitations - that would be a parkway for Didcot - which this clearly isn't.
2.  Drive to the station because it has vast carparks and it is a useful railhead to some distant place such as London.  In this case the station is a parkway at Didcot.

As an example, a parkway such as Southampton Airport (Parkway) is clearly used mostly as a railhead for London - I doubt very many people at all use it for commuting into Southampton, even though it could be so used.  It isn't a parkway for the airport either.

Paul  

[ellendune]

I'd agree with Didcot not needing to be called Parkway (I assume it's a function of having various enormous car parks rather than a lack of proximity to the town since, as pointed out, it's pretty central).

Of course when the name was changed the half of the town North of the town was open fields (I use to commute through them) and there were comparitively few shops, almost all on the main street which is now the furthest part of the shopping centre. So the station was very much on the edge of the town.  The station car park was also on the side of the station away from the town.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From thisisgloucestershire:

Tewkesbury campaigners want Parkway station name change

Campaigners hoping to change the name of Ashchurch for Tewkesbury rail station to Tewkesbury Parkway have suffered a blow, after Gloucestershire County Council refused to give its backing, vital to the decision being made by Network Rail and First Great Western.

The Ashchurch, Tewkesbury and District Rail Promotion Group believes the change would be a vital step in achieve their aim of improving the station.

[JayMac]

I wonder what is behind the decision made by Gloucestershire County Council? I thought this name change was a done deal. RAIL magazine recently reported that the name change would go 'live' from May 2012.

Perhaps the good burghers of Ashchurch were not happy to lose their village's moniker from the current station name....

[Btline]

Oh for goodness sake, this is ridiculous. How hard can it be? Just slap a sticker over the signs and change announcements/timetable and fares manual.

What's the big deal? It is illogical not to do this. "Tewkesbury Parkway" is the only sensible name for the station.

[fatcontroller]

Oh for goodness sake, this is ridiculous. How hard can it be? Just slap a sticker over the signs and change announcements/timetable and fares manual.

What's the big deal? It is illogical not to do this. "Tewkesbury Parkway" is the only sensible name for the station.

and then you have to change any maintenance contracts that state Ashchurch, if it's mentioned in the franchise agreement then that will need altering too. It's not simply a case of slapping a few stickers here, there, and everywhere!

[Pedros]

I was at Ashchurch for Tewkesbury station on Saturday with my dad and my young boy, and the state of the station was an absolute disgrace.  The bins looked as if they hadn't been emptied in weeks, with rubbish piled but also strewn everywhere.  Also, one of the information points had been smashed (the way the screen had shattered, it actually looked as if it had been shot at by a gun) It was such a shame to see, coupled with a two-hourly service to Gloucester it shows that the station is held in very poor regard.  Conversely, I was plesantly surprised to see that there were probably a good 10-15 people joining the train heading towards Cheltenham/ Gloucester.

Speaking to my dad, he was saying that the 'Ashchurch for Tewkesbury' name comes from when the station was a changing point for people to then connect into Tewkesbury Town.

[eightf48544]

Ashchurch was once an important junction with the line to Twekesbury continuing via Upton on Severn to Great Malvern. The Twekesbury shuttle was the preserve of ancient Midland 0-4-4 tanks.

To the East there was the link to the Reddich branch via Eversham which was a useful diversionary route avoiding Lickey and was heavily used by Iron Ore trains off the SMJR from Northamptonshire  to South Wales which joined the route at Broom, before the spur at Stratford was built. Which enabled Broom to Stratford to be shut.

There was also a flat crossing betweent the Eversham and Twekesbury lines just North of the station.

Sad to hear it's got so run down.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Gloucestershire Echo:

Frustration over rail repair delay

Enthusiasts say rail bosses share the public's frustration that a damaged item at Ashchurch station has not been repaired.

Vandals smashed the glass of a help point in early December. It had been installed by a rail operator following lobbying by the Ashchurch, Tewkesbury and District Rail Promotion Group.

John Stretton, from the group, said: "First Great Western are still awaiting a replacement screen from the manufacturers. They are as frustrated as us. The company is putting pressure on the manufacturers and we are a priority as soon as the glass is received."

Tewkesbury resident David Bagley is also angry at the delay. He said: "I wonder how long it takes to replace a piece of glass?"

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from the Gloucestershire Echo:

Commuters face new rail info setback

Railway passengers have been left disappointed for a second time after an information point stopped working.

Users had not been able to read train details on the help point at Ashchurch Station since early December, when vandals smashed its glass.

But soon after the glass was finally replaced earlier this month, following public complaints about the length of the time it was taking, the help point stopped showing train times.

Rail users were met with a message from operator First Great Western, saying information was unavailable due to a "communications problem".

The machine was installed by First Great Western following lobbying by the Ashchurch, Tewkesbury and District Rail Promotion Group.

It spokesman, John Stretton, said he was waiting to hear back from the company about the latest problem.

 

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Gloucestershire Echo:

Early rail service direct to London

Campaigners in Tewkesbury have secured a new direct train service to London Paddington.

Leaving the station at Ashchurch at 5.40am, it will arrive in London just after 8am.

The First Great Western service is scheduled to begin in December.

It follows a campaign by the Ashchurch, Tewkesbury and District Rail Promotion Group which has been seeking to increase the number of trains calling at the station.

Group spokesman Ken Radbourne said: "Although the service departs very early in the morning, it will provide a welcome boost in journey opportunities available from the station."

[Chris from Nailsea]

From South West Business:

London train link from Ashchurch in Gloucestershire staying on track

Early morning train commutes from Ashchurch for Tewkesbury are set to continue after it was deemed a success.

A trial run of the first direct train link to London from Ashchurch started last year. And on its first year anniversary yesterday, operator First Great Western said it would now put the stop permanently on its timetable.

Together with Gloucestershire County Council, the train operators agreed last December that the 5.21am train from Worcester to London Paddington would stop at 5.40am at Ashchurch. And with an average of 15 people a week using the service, First Great Western has now decided to make the extra stop permanent.

The county council agreed last year to put ^13,000 into the project ^12,000 of that for fuel, and ^1,000 for a new sign for drivers.

First Great Western will now take over the full costs of the stop. Campaigners yesterday applauded the news, and hope more people will now use the service.

John Stretton, spokesman for the Ashchurch, Tewkesbury and District Rail Promotion Group, said: "It is like a Christmas present come early. I half expected First Great Western to say that it would do without the stop, but it has pulled out all the stops to ensure it remains, which was much more than we anticipated. Businessmen will now have the confidence to support it, now that it is a proper stop, not just a 12-month trial. The message is now getting out there, and more people are becoming interested in using the service. There is certainly potential for growth there."

The group is now in talks to try and get a direct return train next year.

Simon Excell, lead commissioner for strategic infrastructure at Gloucestershire County Council said: "On a one year trial basis back in December 2012 we invested ^13,000 into Ashchurch railway station. It^s proven to be a real asset to local residents, especially those living in the north of the county as it offers an additional direct service to London."

Vernon Smith, local cabinet member for Tewkesbury East, said, "It^s great that First Great Western has included the additional stop in the timetable, it seems to have been something that train users have really valued."

^1,000 for a new sign for drivers.

Eh??