Project Coldham starts.

In line with our decision to keep up the mommentum of securing the line, it's business as usual at the Bramley Line this weekend with work being carried out at Coldham Level Crossing. A lot of vegetation has been building up around the crossing gates. Work to tidy the site up started today, with the aim of Coldham Level Crossing having a major improvement over the next few months.

This was once the pathway to cross the railway. The sleepers are rotten and as you can see the vegetation has built up. This was all cut down.

Vegetation starting to poke through the holes in the fence. This will soon be completely trimed back.

At the start of the day, you could not see this fence and there was a lot of vegetation coming from under the gate, this has now been trimmed back too as you can see here.

On the other side of the road, the fence has a lot of weeds and vegetation coming through the fence. This has all been cut away apart from the bit on the left hand side which is infact a tree, which will be cut away in the coming weeks.

This shows a very good before and after shot of this side of the crossing.

The Bramley Line is committed to re-opening this line as a Community Heritage railway, there for local people in the towns of Wisbech, Coldham and March and the surrounding areas. We know the line will struggle to re-open as part of the national network, and in particular with the plans proposed by ATOC. All the work we do is done by Volunteer members of the Bramley Line, who give up there time to help make this work.

The Bramley Line is always looking for new volunteers to come and help. We need volunteer helpers in all sorts of areas, from Marketing to Track Workers. No Experience is necessary and there is no upper age limits or minimum number of hours you need to do, so whether your 18 and can help on the odd occasion between studies, or 65 and recently retired looking for something new to do and can help most days, everyone's welcome.

If you would like to get involved, please contact us by e-mailing bramley_line@yahoo.com.

The Bramley Line group will be launching its “Raise a Wagonload of Cash” Appeal to the public for the first time to help raise the £10,000 needed. So as you can see, there is lots going on at the Bramley Line!

Bramley Line Position Statement on Re-opening the Wisbech – March Railway Line

The Wisbech and March Bramley Line was established, in late 2003, as a community heritage railway in the knowledge that the restoration of full network passenger services on the March – Wisbech line faced immense difficulties. In the view of the Bramley Line Committee the ATOC report has not changed the position in that respect.

The Bramley Line considers it would be irresponsible to cease its efforts to establish a community heritage service on the line because of the publication of the ATOC report. The report in respect of the March – Wisbech line contains only an option for review not a proposal for the restoration of a service.

The capital costs to reinstate a full national rail service are at least £12m and probably more. As the Leader of the Opposition pointed out recently the country is entering a period of austerity. The service proposed by ATOC is between Wisbech and Peterborough via March for which we believe an adequate express bus services already exist.

This makes it highly likely that the ATOC option will not be progressed or will, at the very least, be shelved until funding is available. In the light of this, any decision by the Bramley Line not to continue to campaign to establish a community heritage service could leave Wisbech without any prospect of a rail service for a very long time or even at all.

Network Rail has confirmed to the Bramley Line that the establishment of a community heritage service would not be a barrier to network services returning to the line in the future. Nor would the re-establishment of network freight and/or passenger services on the line curtail heritage rail operations.

Community heritage railways require significantly less capital costs to re-establish services and lower operating costs. Across the country local authorities have recognised the benefits community heritage railways bring to their areas. The support offered has ranged from financial support to providing professional expertise and assisting with gaining RDA and other funding. You have to look no further than East Dereham to see what a community heritage railway can do for a rural market town.

We would like our local councils to work with us to secure the line and make this a great attraction to the local area and a useful service for the communities of Wisbech, Coldham and March. We will be inviting the local council to a meeting with us to discuss this further.

In this respect the Bramley Line will continue to seek the financial support to purchase the lease to the line and operate a community heritage service between March and Wisbech. Once successful in obtaining the lease, the Bramley Line will not rule out operating a commuter service between March and Wisbech if demand is there for it and a business case made for it.

Bramley Line Meeting

The next meeting of the Bramley Line will be held in The Catholic Chuch Hall, March, on THURSDAY 25th JUNE at 19.30hrs.We would like to see as many members and supporters there as possible. It is also a great way to find out the different ways to get involved. The more volunteers we can get working on the railway, the quicker we can get up and running.

Work at Elm Road Crossing - 14/6/09

This week, our volunteer members of the track clearing team continued with improving the appearance of the Railway around Elm Road Crossing in March, improving the fencing and painting bits and bobs around the crossing.

As you can see, the new fencing has delivered a huge improvement to the look around Elm Road Crossing. Again we couldn't do these things without our volunteer members, and we are always looking for more people to get involved. If you are interested in becoming involved, please get in touch. Membership is currently only £10 per year, and this is a great way to try something new, meet new people, and enjoy a great new hobby.

If you have a few hours to spare, and would like to get involved, contact Simon at bramleylinevicechairman@hotmail.co.uk or call the Bramley Line Mobile on 07874 121 211

Bramley Line Merchandise

You can help us raise our wagonload of cash by purchasing some of our Bramley Line Merchandise which is currently on offer.

We have the following items at present:
Fleeces £19.50 each
Polo shirts £9.50 each
Safety Shoes - size 9 only - £35.00
DVD's at £5 and £10.00.
Mugs - White with Blue print - £3.50
Keyrings - 50p

We also have a small number of Medium Polo-Shirts in Pale Blue and showing the early design at just £5 each

You can order:-

By post to
Wisbech & March Bramley Line
9 Old Bank Chambers
Dartford Road
March
Cambs
PE15 8AQ

Email : peter@bramleyline.org.uk
Phone: 01354 651188
Mobile: 07874-121-211
The office is currently open on Thursdays Only for the time being and from 10.00 -14.00. Except 25th for June, 27th August and 29th October, when the opening hours will be 14.00 - 18.00

Day out to the Northampton & Lamport Railway

On Sunday, June 7th, some members from the Bramley Line attended the Northampton & Lamport Railway's Classic car event. This was a very good day out and was good to see how other smaller preservation groups are doing and what can be achieved.

Some photos from the day:-

Why not get involved.... with fundraising

A new Fund-Raising Team has been formed and taking the 'Roadshow' out and about the area and with a new look to it. Instead of the Track Clearing Team taking time off clearing along the line to man it as in the past, we have formed a Fund-Raising Team. More members to man it will always welcome to join.

The more help there is for either of the teams, the quicker funds can be raised, the line can be cleared of the vast amount of vegetation again and we can advance that much further, in order to open the railway again.

This is a great chance to get involved, meet new people and contribue to something we think will be a great attraction to the area and for the people of March and Wisbech.

For more information, please contact
Wisbech & March Bramley Line
9 Old Bank Chambers
Dartford Road
March
Cambs
PE15 8AQ
Email : peter@bramleyline.org.uk
Phone: 01354 651188
Mobile: 07874-121-211
Office open Thursday's: 10.00 -14.00, Except 25th June, 27th August and 29th October, when the opening hours will be 14.00 - 18.00