The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway has announced that over £100,000 has been donated to their emergency appeal in just over ten days.
The milestone was passed on the 1st April, ten days after the appeal was launched.
The money will help the railway overcoming a double disaster. Firstly, repairs to an embankment after it slipped has cost £500,000, and the railway is now closed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The GWSR is unusual in that it has just six employees and over 950 volunteers who manage the day-to-day operation of the railway.
You can still donate to their emergency appeal, donations can be made by cheque, BACS transfer or Paypal. Full details are on the railway's website at www.gwsr.com
What did the officials say?
Glyn Cornish, chairman of the charitable GWRT that supports the volunteer-run Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR), says he is ‘stunned and deeply grateful'
“Frankly, the response has been astonishing and I feel very humbled at the way people have dug in to their pockets to help us through this crisis, when they have plenty of other worries facing them,” says Mr Cornish.
“Donations have come from far and wide – including Europe, Australia and Canada. This kind of support underlines just how popular and loved our railway is.
“We have achieved so much over the 39 years that we first occupied a derelict Toddington station. Now we have a 14-mile line that carried over 125,000 passengers last year, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Cotswolds.
“We have faced many setbacks along the way, but it's no exaggeration to say that this latest landslip and the present shut-down have combined to form one of the biggest financial challenges we have ever faced.”
Mr Cornish adds:
“I'd like to say a huge ‘Thank You' to everyone who has responded to our call for help.
“And while we are all truly amazed at the public response to our dilemma, there is no room for complacency – we need to raise as much money as we possibly can to ensure we can resume the train services that so many people clearly enjoy, when this current crisis is over.”
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My heart (along with my full support) goes out to the GWSR in the Colorful Cotswolds, Affected not only by Covid-19, But by such an untimely landslip.
Also like to Congratulate the GWSR on doing well fundraising to repair said landslip by the way, Not the first time this ”Eagerly-Must-Visit” ex-Cross Country Heritage Railway had faced this untimely landslip issue.
This Preserved Railway’s even had a history of landslips and I (Myself) remember hearing/learning about there previous landslip dilemmas more than a few years ago, Even During Their Long Since Opened Up Broadway Extension (which first extended said route of said GWSR up to Broadway 2 years ago).
I’ve not yet visited this Heritage Railway ‘in-person’ though I do still hope on doing so someday, Once I can afford to travel/return to Gloucestershire at some point.