I was as. Bit dubious about that solar panels thread! That box thread has thrown up some.interesting questions mainly on crc 'box more than the broadway once in the end (partly my doing) but I remain hopeful that broadway signal box will surpass all others on the railway as regards authenticity. I know there will be plenty unhappy if upvc is indeed used.
I don't think anyone is particularly happy with how they look, but they allow trains through to CRC to make money for the railway a good few years sooner than if they had been more traditional - I can understand why it happened,just wish a little more thought had gone into it as to how it could still be constructed quickly but look a little more aesthetically pleasing.
Nevermind, lets hope one day it will be replaced or improved upon...
Could one idea to improve the image of the CRC box be to clad it with wood and paint it up to a similar fashion or style as the old Exminster Signal Box? That way it would bring a little more of a GWR feel to it (middle upwards doesn't look too bad but it's the faux stone from the middle down that doesn't help it to fit in)
National Preservation is a good forum. I look in occasionally, to get a snapshot of what the Heritage rail scene thinks…which is sometimes quite different to the picture painted by the magazines.
http://www.railforums.co.uk is another interesting one...
It does rather worry me that the GWR seems less interested in the 'heritage' side of things these days, and is going more in a 'tourist entertainment' direction, where authenticity isn't really important.
I realise tourists are the line's bread and butter - most visitors probably don't know and don't care if every aspect of the railway is done 'properly'. But if the GWR loses enthusiast support it will ultimately lose everything. Tourists aren't going to buy shares to fix embankments or repair bridges!
New wooden window frames would be more expensive than a bit of extruded plastic, I'm sure, but they would be tough, long-lasting, could be discreetly double-glazed if required and - contrary to myth and legend - would not need huge amounts of maintenance.
As I mentioned previously, when I had new wooden sash windows made for my 1906 house, I was told to paint them every 10 years and they'd last for 100 years. I've seen it mentioned that if Broadway signal box was fitted with wooden window frames they'd need to be painted every three years. That frequently? If so I'd say the frames were poor quality - or at least badly finished - in the first place!
I'd also like to know whether the other station buildings at Broadway will have PVC window frames.
And what about the platform canopy? Will that be glass and timber, as per the original - or will it feature transparent polycarbonate panels and PVC cladding for that 'low maintenance car port' look?
As I understand it, the Broadway station plans submitted to Wychavon District Council for approval specified wooden window frames. If the plan has now changed, does that mean the planning permission is null and void?
7 comments:
I do hope GWSR offsets the carbon emissions of its locos with solar panels on the Goods sheds at Toddington and Broadway
http://www.national-preservation.com/threads/free-solar-power-for-heritage-railways.32786/
I was as. Bit dubious about that solar panels thread! That box thread has thrown up some.interesting questions mainly on crc 'box more than the broadway once in the end (partly my doing) but I remain hopeful that broadway signal box will surpass all others on the railway as regards authenticity. I know there will be plenty unhappy if upvc is indeed used.
the CRC box does look a bit Mickey Mouse, you have to admit.
Toddington, Winchcombe and hopefully Broadway, yes, authentic, but CRC and Gotherington, eeeerrr... well I guess they do a job.
I don't think anyone is particularly happy with how they look, but they allow trains through to CRC to make money for the railway a good few years sooner than if they had been more traditional - I can understand why it happened,just wish a little more thought had gone into it as to how it could still be constructed quickly but look a little more aesthetically pleasing.
Nevermind, lets hope one day it will be replaced or improved upon...
Alex
Could one idea to improve the image of the CRC box be to clad it with wood and paint it up to a similar fashion or style as the old Exminster Signal Box? That way it would bring a little more of a GWR feel to it (middle upwards doesn't look too bad but it's the faux stone from the middle down that doesn't help it to fit in)
http://photos.signallingnotices.org.uk/photo.php?pc=143&p=DSCN0294.JPG
Porthmadog signal box. Painted wooden windows.
http://www.whrsoc.org.uk/WHRProject/2013/20130723-sb-1.jpg
http://www.whrsoc.org.uk/WHRProject/2013/20131129-pm-3.jpg
You can follow its 2013 construction at:
http://www.whrsoc.org.uk/WHRProject/maintain/maintain-harbour.html
National Preservation is a good forum. I look in occasionally, to get a snapshot of what the Heritage rail scene thinks…which is sometimes quite different to the picture painted by the magazines.
http://www.railforums.co.uk is another interesting one...
It does rather worry me that the GWR seems less interested in the 'heritage' side of things these days, and is going more in a 'tourist entertainment' direction, where authenticity isn't really important.
I realise tourists are the line's bread and butter - most visitors probably don't know and don't care if every aspect of the railway is done 'properly'. But if the GWR loses enthusiast support it will ultimately lose everything. Tourists aren't going to buy shares to fix embankments or repair bridges!
New wooden window frames would be more expensive than a bit of extruded plastic, I'm sure, but they would be tough, long-lasting, could be discreetly double-glazed if required and - contrary to myth and legend - would not need huge amounts of maintenance.
As I mentioned previously, when I had new wooden sash windows made for my 1906 house, I was told to paint them every 10 years and they'd last for 100 years. I've seen it mentioned that if Broadway signal box was fitted with wooden window frames they'd need to be painted every three years. That frequently? If so I'd say the frames were poor quality - or at least badly finished - in the first place!
I'd also like to know whether the other station buildings at Broadway will have PVC window frames.
And what about the platform canopy? Will that be glass and timber, as per the original - or will it feature transparent polycarbonate panels and PVC cladding for that 'low maintenance car port' look?
As I understand it, the Broadway station plans submitted to Wychavon District Council for approval specified wooden window frames. If the plan has now changed, does that mean the planning permission is null and void?
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