The first phase of the contract to repair the 120-year-old Stanway Viaduct on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) has been awarded to Walsh Construction Ltd.

The viaduct carries the railway over a valley north of the railway’s headquarters at Toddington, and contracts for the work were signed on Thursday, 12 October at Winchcombe station by the railway’s Dr. Graham Plant, Civil Engineering Director and Richard Winstanley, Finance Director; and Walsh Construction’s James Evitts, Construction Director and Jon Bird, Managing Director, during a brief ceremony.

The first phase of the work is expected to start early next month and take four months to complete. During that work, the track and ballast will be removed to enable the replacement of the failed waterproof deck. It will also allow the viaduct’s structure to dry out and reduce the risk of more damage to the brickwork in the future.

That phase has been made possible by a grant from the charitable Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Trust (GWRT) as a result of its Viaduct Appeal that was launched in March and so far has raised over £275,000, which is enough for the work to start.

Following the replacement of the waterproof deck, the fill, ballast, and track will be replaced so that the viaduct can be reopened for trains by the end of February next year before the railway’s operations recommence in March.
During the closure of the viaduct, the railway’s Santa trains will operate as normal from Cheltenham to Winchcombe.

Planned for the longer term is Phase 2 of the work, in which the piers that carry the railway up to 15m above the valley will be repaired, and the Trust will keep its appeal open to raise funds for that work. Taken together, the new waterproofing works and brickwork repairs will secure the viaduct’s future so that the railway can continue to operate over its full length from Cheltenham to Broadway. Anyone wishing to donate to the appeal can do so at www.gwrt.org.uk.

Over recent years, Walsh Construction has carried out other work for the railway, including some vital repairs to the viaduct’s brickwork. James Evitts, Construction Director of Walsh Construction, added: “We are thrilled to be returning to Stanway viaduct and are proud to be working on such an important heritage structure on behalf of the GWSR and its volunteers. We look forward to starting work on site amidst this historic setting and in such beautiful scenery.”

The GWSR’s Dr Graham Plant said: “This is the first part of extensive works to repair this iconic 15-arch structure and it’s clear that members of the Trust, shareholders, supporters and our visitors hold this delightful railway close to their hearts.

“The reason why the appeal is so important is that over the years, rainwater has percolated through the failed deck, leading to deterioration of the viaduct’s brickwork. Our own Permanent Way volunteers will remove the track and ballast, while Walsh will install a new concrete slab over the full length of the 200m (656ft) structure, which will be topped by a bituminous elastomer barrier to provide long-term waterproofing protection.”

GWRT Chairman, Philip Young, said: “I’m humbled by the generosity of so many people who have so far contributed to the Appeal, making it possible for this essential first contract to be let. Whether a pound coin in a collection bucket or £1,000 every contribution has added up. I know this year hasn’t been easy for many people yet they have been able to ensure the success of the appeal so far.

“There is still a long way to go. The total cost of repairs, involving attention to brickwork at anything up to 50ft above the ground, is estimated to cost around £1.5m, so we will be re-doubling our effort to ensure that we can support this work in the future.”