Broadway Station

There appears to be a lot of interest in a comment made on one of our blogs recently, about the proposed facilities at Broadway Station.

More than two years ago, the board agreed that the retail space there would be more advantageously used as a shop, rather than a cafe. There has been no sudden change of plan as has been erroneously reported. All that happened was that a couple of weeks ago, a meeting was held at the station to determine the final positioning of electrical sockets, lights and radiators before the rooms were plastered.

The reasons for the decision more than two years ago, are as valid now as they were then. We want to increase the size of our retail estate, as both the shops at Toddington and Cheltenham are too small. We see great potential for expanding our retail sales, and overall retail profitability. Having a busy and vibrant shop at Broadway, will be  a very good attraction for all our future customers there.

There has been some negative comment about the proposed installation of a coffee machine. That was seen as being potentially beneficial, as at Cheltenham. It was not expected to be in any way controversial, but can always be reconsidered if it is seen as unnecessary.

We already have catering outlets at Toddington with the Flag & Whistle Cafe, and at Winchcombe with the Coffee Pot Cafe. We also have catering facilities on all our trains, and next year plan to include catering on the DMU. Plans for that have already been drawn up. With the growth in this aspect of our business this year, and anticipated further growth next year we believe that all passengers will be fully provided for.

It is a part of our business strategy for next year that we want our passengers to spend time with us, and not just travel from Broadway to Cheltenham and back. We want them to get of and sample the Flag & Whistle, or the Coffee Pot. That is one of the reasons why the new timetable has been structured as it has.

With the potential growth in all aspects of our Railway Catering Services, we shall need up to ten volunteer members of staff on each red timetabled day next year. Were we to build a cafe at Broadway, it would not only further increase the number of volunteer staff required on each operating day, but would have the potential to detrimentally dilute our overall catering services. We want people to arrive at Broadway station, join the train and sample either our on-board catering, or one of the other cafe's on our railway.

I hope that that clarifies any misunderstanding which may have been caused by the various recent blog postings, and why we made the decisions we did when we did.

Richard Johnson
Director & Company Secretary

Passenger numbers at the end of October

With the main season now having come to an end it is worth having a look at passenger numbers so far this year. The picture is very encouraging. You will remember we had a 13% increase in 2016 and I said at the beginning of this year I thought that with Broadway on the horizon, people would be holding back from travelling with us this year. Well, that hasn't happened. Overall we are about 3% up on last year. What is particularly interesting is that it is our "normal days" that have seen the increase whereas, apart from our Wartime weekend, our special events have levelled off - the weather having played a major role here. During October we had several record days with trains very full - something new for us and something we may well have to manage carefully in the future.

Santa bookings are pouring in at a faster rate than ever before - some trains are already fully booked - so it looks as though final numbers at the end of the year will exceed 2016. This is of course provided winter doesn't provide any nasty surprises.

Finally, you will be interested to know that within a day of putting the sale of tickets on line for the Easter Broadway opening next year, we started to sell tickets. It looks like a busy year ahead!

Colin Fewell

Food and drink fayre

If you didn't come to this, you missed something special! Almost 1800 visitors travelled on the trains over the 2 days - about 300 up on last year, plus of course the many hundreds of other people who just came to the fayre itself. So congratulations to John Mayell and his small team for all their hard work. The variety of stalls selling all kinds of local produce was amazing. And 46% proof gin as well! Even "Brian" couldn't dampen everyone's enthusiasm.
Colin Fewell

Passenger numbers

As at the end of September the number of visitors was up by about 4% on last year. Bearing in mind our increase of 13% last year, this is a fantastic achievement. What is particularly encouraging  is that we are seeing the largest increase on "normal" days rather than just at special events.

Our September Thomas event went smoothly as did the October diesel weekend although in both cases passenger numbers were slightly down on 2016. As always, the weather plays a significant part

Colin Fewell

Santa specials

Half way through October and we are already sold out on some trains!
Ticket sales this year are almost 50% up as at the same date last year. We must be doing something right! What is especially pleasing is the increase in the sales of the Toddington based DMU santas. If you remember, these started a few years ago to supplement our steam santas on extra busy days. Now we are finding that the more relaxed atmosphere with santa walking the train is proving attractive particularly to families where children are perhaps frightened of walking into a dark grotto.
Colin Fewell

GWSR Board approves a significant Capital Expenditure programme for 2018

Dear supporters of the GWSR,

GWSR Board approves a significant Capital Expenditure programme for 2018 budget year

As the running season draws to a close (where did yet another year go?) I am pleased to tell you that the finances of our railway are in excellent shape. This is due to three factors;

Firstly, as you know, the share issue was over-subscribed to the tune of £80,000 and we have the privilege of having thousands of new shareholders from both near and far.

Secondly, the running season has again been a great success. Passenger numbers at this time are slightly ahead of last year and, as I believe I reported before, there has been a healthy rebalancing of passengers away from special events and on to normal service days.

Thirdly, we have enjoyed massive support from the Trust (GWRT) for both the extension to Broadway and the Tim Mitchell building, the latter now being very much a part of the landscape at Winchcombe.

Regarding the extension to Broadway, all is very much on track for the planned opening on Good Friday next year, 30^th March 2018.

As you know, the railway’s funds, coming from the above sources, are used exclusively for investment in the railway and its infrastructure.

Taking the satisfactory nature of your railway’s finances together with the high degree of confidence that our Broadway project will be achieved on time, the Board met this week to review the current cash position and our projected cash inflows and from this information determine which capital projects should be undertaken in 2018.

In its deliberations, the board concluded that the Broadway station building would open for business in March with a functioning booking office and toilets, but that other expenditure at Broadway, however desirable, would be deferred in order that pressing projects relating to other aspects of the railway could move ahead expeditiously in 2018.

The projects the board approved are as follows;

1. Sufficient funding to allow the completion of the booking office and toilets at Broadway, prior to the opening on 30th March 2018

2. A 5 metre wide concrete roadway in Winchcombe yard, from the security gate to C&W – no need to explain to C&W volunteers why this is necessary!

3. Secure storage at Winchcombe primarily for Permanent Way Department stores and vehicles

4. Security cameras and associated equipment at vulnerable locations

5. A proposed new facility for the SLD at Toddington – this is easily the biggest of these projects at around £300,000 and may well not be completed in the calendar year

6. A 2 Road Carriage shed – subject to agreeing a location

7. A new facility for S&T at Winchcombe

8. Heritage wagon shelter at Winchcombe – this will be the Heritage group’s next project and reflects the Board’s confidence in this group following their excellent work on recreating Hayles Halt

Items 1, 2 and 7, by the way, have already been the subject of a quotation process and require no further approval – they are shovel ready!

I hope you will agree with me that the above makes exciting reading and reflects the confidence that we all share in this superb volunteer run enterprise!

All good wishes,

Chris

Chris Bristow

Finance Director

GWSR Financial results for the half year to 31 July 2017

Dear supporters of the GWSR,

It was in early May that I last wrote to you following the successful conclusion of the 'Broadway the last mile' share issue which generated £80,000 more than our original target to end at £1,330,000.

This coming week I am pleased to update you with the railway's commercial results for the first half year which, I am pleased to say,  have been good!

Overall passenger numbers at 46550 were up very slightly on 2016 with a measurable change towards more passengers on normal running days and away from special events. This is a good thing as the railway is, on some special event days, beginning to be constrained by capacity.

With generally good weather up until June all our special events did well, the race trains and the wartime weekend achieving new records, but our railway has now become a firm favourite with tour operators and this is a major driver of the move to busier ordinary running days.

For the first 6 months, turnover was nearly £1 million and like gross profit was almost exactly on budget. With some cost reductions in our overheads our operating profit (which to all intents and purposes is our cash flow) came in at a healthy £225,000.

I like to say that 5 paid staff and 900 volunteers came together and in 6 months generated nearly a quarter of a million pounds in cash!

Receipts for the Santa trains have already started to come in, so I forecast our railway will have  another excellent year, our last in the current format before the opening to Broadway.

Finally, on operations, there was the no small matter of opening Hayles Abbey Halt which was a huge credit to the Heritage Group and, in particular, Jim Graham who lead the project.

Turning now to capital works, I can confirm all is on target to open Broadway station to the public on Good Friday, 30 March 2018. Although much remains to be done the embankment repairs at Broadway were completed in July and the heritage roof for the station, made by our steam loco department, was craned into position in May - see photo. In addition, good progress has been made with developing relationships with businesses and the community in Broadway which I am sure will be mutually beneficial.

At Winchcombe. the new visitor centre, for which we won the Aviva Community award, is nearing completion and will be first used for the Santa trains. See second photo. 

All in all, everything moves along at our railway very smoothly.

 

Kind regards,

 

Chris

 

Chris Bristow

GWSR Finance Director

 

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07796 452047