Advent Quiz - December 2022

[whole diary]

[PrestburyRoad]

Swindon to Gloucester is an interesting line and Kemble a fascinating station. Are it (and Stonehouse) rare survivors of the Beeching era - still with us against all odds?  Should the likes of Purton and Chalford have also survived, or should they be considered for a proper GBR^▸ (Great British Railways)▸ network in the much greener next decade?

I guess Kemble may have survived in a similar way to Kingham - people with influence using it - in the case of Kingham this was no less than Sir Peter Parker.

Of the other stations on the line, Stroud survives well, including the Brunel goods shed, and the town is large enough for the station to be a natural survivor.   But alas poor Stonehouse (Great Western): Brunel's modest station building was demolished in the 1970s in exchange for BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) not closing the station entirely; on the positive side, the platforms were extended a few years ago to take five-coach IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)), so I guess its future is safe for now.

Whenever I travel the line I'm glued to the window between Stroud and the summit at Sapperton Tunnel.  Not for nothing is this valley called the Golden Valley, with its steep sides, twists and turns, plenitude of trees, remains of the Thames & Severn canal, and Cotswold stone buildings.

[Bmblbzzz]

I grew up about halfway between Stonehouse and Stroud stations – our garden bordered the track and one of my neighbours, who worked in some sort of (I think) track maintenance capacity, used to walk along the line to get to work. Which presumably was against regulations even in the 1970s... So yes, Stonehouse station is kind of boring (I don't actually remember the old buildings) but it's good that it's there, good to hear it's been extended and yes, it's a beautiful line.

[Red Squirrel]

There is a campaign to reopen Stonehouse’s other station, too: https://fosbr.org.uk/fosbr-support-new-campaign-for-stroudwater-station/

Merry Xmas all!