Bridges to Broadway Share Issue

The latest figure for the appeal is approx. £245,000. This is still £5,000 short of our aim of half way by the end of November so you have to be quick if you want to help us meet this magnificent goal!
Now we are working on ways to attract more investors - there will be flyers on the Santa trains and the train teams will be offering the brochure to anyone who is interested as a last minute present for 'the man (or woman) who has everything'.

I took a railway stand to the NEC last weekend along with Dave Staniforth and John Mayell to attend what is probably the largest model railway exhibition of the year - the organisers had around 12,000 people through the door on Saturday alone. We had a lot of interest shown and by the end of the day were losing our voices from non-stop talking. Sunday was a little quieter and we were actually able to take some time to see the exhibits. For those who like red engines, the new-build Patriot was on display - yes the real thing not a model. Of course we handed out hundreds of the new 2014 timetables and many share brochures so hopefully we will see a good return from this effort. My thanks go to Dave and John for their much welcomed support.

I must also record the fact that the report in 'Heritage Railway' suggesting the amount raised was nearing £300k is over optimistic. Robin very generously extrapolated a month old figure but unfortunately the response to such appeals doesn't follow a straight line basis!

Alan Bielby

"Classic Hospitality"

Alan Bielby and I had a meeting with Classic Hospitality yesterday. They are the company that organises all the race specials during Gold Cup week. Interesting to hear them say several times that they particularly like working with us because everyone is so friendly and helpful. "There is always a buzz of enthusiasm on the trains"
Colin Fewell

Santa Specials

Frightening how the year goes by, but in 5 days time we start our Santa Specials! Yesterday a group of volunteers decorated the cafe at Winchcombe, cleaned and tidied up the grottos and the "elf centre" and put tinsel up in our two sets of carriages.
Looking at the latest statistics, we have so far sold just over 6000 tickets, as against 4800 at the same point last year. This will of course level off as numbers on the train are fixed, but it does mean people are buying their tickets much earlier this year. Perhaps part of this is the quality of the presents which I can assure everyone are just as good as ever.
Trains will, as always, be quite empty next weekend but after that, it all picks up!
I haven't counted up the number of volunteers who will be helping santa this year but in addition to train and station staff it looks about 100.
Colin Fewell

Broadway Signal Box Construction Starts

On Monday we received from the Wychavon Planning Department the discharge of conditions attached to the planning approval for the station buildings. The Broadway team were all geared up and ready for this with the result that piling work for the signal box foundation started today Wednesday! Construction will now continue, weather permitting, to completion - funded by the joint fund raising efforts of the Broadway Group and the Trust with a top up by the Plc. This is a tremendous step towards our goal of seeing Broadway Station resurrected and we hope will add further impetus to our share appeal to repair the Bridges to Broadway.

Alan Bielby

Bridges to Broadway Share Offer Update

Dear all, 

 A quick update on the Bridges to Broadway Share Issue - it now stands at just over £230,000! If you are think about investing and have yet to completed your form now might be the time, it would be great to reach the half way mark before the end of the month.

If you are considering the offer and have any questions or would like to receive the offer document please contact Maxine Hawkins on 01242 621905 or development@gwsr.com

Maxine Barton-Hawkins

Bridges to Broadway share issue reaches £200,000 in a little under 6 weeks!

Dear all, 

Bridges to Broadway Share Issue reaches £200,000! 

I am very pleased to tell you that the Bridges to Broadway share issue has reached the £200,000 mark in a little under 6 weeks. That's great news! 

Peter Muir and John Balderstone from Darren Fairley's Civil Engineering team have decided that they will work from south to north starting with Bridge 5 Little Buckland. They are now busy with design work and the preparation of a tender which they anticipate will be completed in January. This is followed by a tendering period and then vetting of tenders forecast to be completed in February/March. The contract, probably for all 5 bridges, should be awarded at the end of March with work starting early in May. 

It would be great to have enough funds in to cover Bridges 4 Peasebrook Farm, £46,000, and Bridge 3 Pry Lane, £18,000 before the year end so, if you have yet to invest in our railway, now's the time! 

Some other points to mention; 

For any volunteers, members and supporters of the railway who do not want to buy shares but would like to make a donation, then that would be equally welcome particularly as the railway is able to claim gift aid on donations from UK tax payers. Payments to GWRT please not the PLC.

When you are next at the railway consider getting some extra copies of the share issue document from our Admin office and handing them to friends who might be interested in buying some shares. The document is great publicity for the railway but the shares are also a great offer! Buying the minimum £100 worth of shares, less the £30 tax rebate, costs the shareholder £70. For this they get 3 free tickets each year currently worth £15 each. That's a great deal! 

See you at the volunteers meeting. 

Chris Bristow 

GWSR PLC Finance Director

Direct marketing

Pleased to report from a meeting last Saturday that we now have about a dozen volunteers working with Graham Radband, Marketing Manager, to increase the distribution of our timetables and flyers next year. This is in addition to the arrangement we already have with 3 major leaflet distribution companies.

They have all agreed to ensure these leaflets are circulated as widely as possible  in areas near where they live or work. Our aim is to cover at least a  30 mile radius around the railway.

We are almost there but we do still need more help particularly to the south of the region so if you can help please let me know.

In addition to distributing leaflets, they will also keep a constant watch for ways we can enhance our presence in these towns through local media contact, specific targeted promotions, local advertisements, and  competitions etc etc.
Colin Fewell

2014 timetable

The printers proof for next years timetable has been signed off. 350,000 copies are now being printed and hopefully will be available within 2 to 3 weeks. And Steve George has now got this also up on our website.
Colin Fewell