A list of questions which we receive from time to time about the Wye Valley Railway pages:

1) When are you planning to re-open the railway? Where can I send donations?

Errrmm...currently such details as when to re-open the railway have not been worked out and so an opening date cannot be projected. As at the moment we are not in a position to re-open the line we are not after money .

2) Why is this website here then?

To gauge interest mostly - and if anybody else wishes to carry out this re-opening themselves we'd be happy to get involved and provide input.

3) Who currently owns the railway?

Cycling charity Sustrans owns the railway and trackbed from Chepstow to Tintern. Beyond there it is principally farmers as far as Whitebrook, after which ownership isn't clear (apart from Redbrook station and the approach to Wyesham, which are privately owned by the houses concerned).

4) Can I walk along the railway?

Tintern Quarry to Tintern is a public footpath. The railway around Tintern station has a footpath along it. Llandogo to Whitebrook mostly runs across fields but it is possible to walk on, adjacent to or within a stone's throw of the trackbed. Whitebrook to Penallt is a forestry track, while Redbrook to Wyesham is a footpath - albeit one without public footpath status.

5) Are there any sections which I cannot walk then?

Wye Valley Junction to Tintern Quarry is still a railway, albeit overgrown. Tintern Tunnel is closed off. Brockweir to Llandogo runs across farmland with no adjacent public footpath (although there is always the road and there is a footpath on the opposite bank of the river). Monmouth viaduct is also fenced off.

6) Are there any plans to change this?

Sustrans wish to turn the Tidenham to Tintern station section into a cycleway. However, their plans are currently in a similar state to ours, and it would involve rebuilding a bridge and opening up two tunnels.

7) How will the Tintern branch fit into your long-term plans following re-opening to Monmouth?

Depends on how things work out. We're not too sure these days about re-opening the line in stages (those pages were written several years ago) as running to Monmouth is one of the advantages which the railway would have over the cycleway. Among other things, only running to Tintern for any period would potentially encourage traffic to enter Tintern to use the railway.

8) Does that translate as "We don't guarantee to re-open that branch?"

Well, the bridge would need substantial re-building and putting a railway on it would close one of the few crossings over the river. Then there would have to be a level crossing in Tintern. The trackbed would need a lot of re-conditioning and widening work. It would then have to be worked into the timetable, although that isn't the hardest bit.

9) Why no mention of steam traction? That's what most preserved railways use.

We prefer the idea of a re-opened railway to a preserved one.

10) What's the difference?

A re-opened railway is effectively a new branchline on the old trackbed, re-using old structures where possible. So, for example, the stations at Tintern and St. Briavels, Penallt and Monmouth viaducts and the railway south of Tintern Quarry would all be re-used once tidied up, but new eco-friendly technology and small modern stations would be used elsewhere - albeit all in a way which blends in with the surroundings.

11) Does it give an idea of how the railway would look had it survived?

No. The investment involved in re-opening can actually produce a much better route with superior stock compared to a similar line which survived the closure period.

12) What limitations would be imposed on a preserved railway?

A 25 mph speed restriction is the most notable one, and they also (as a rule) act as tourist attractions which do not operate out of season.

13) What benefits are there to using modern traction over steam?

Cleaner surroundings most notably, with less noise and exhaust. People overlooking the railway in Wyesham will be able to hang their washing out without it being filled with smoke and smuts. Running costs are often lower and preparation time is shorter. We also want to run to Newport and possibly Cardiff - it would be easier to get permission to do this with a modern train.

14) Why?

Because steam traction has not run on a daily basis on a core mainline (as opposed to branchline) since 1968, and so getting permission to run such a service would be much harder than running an open-access service with multiple units - which a number of other operators do.

15) Does this rule out steam locomotives altogether?

No - and particularly not for the opening special. But daily service, in the modern world on a railway run from Network Rail's "Black Tower", would have to (to begin with at least) be operated by modern trains.

16) Why not make Tidenham the southern terminus?

Because that wouldn't be nearly as good at getting people out of their cars - which is the main aim.

17) Won't this mean that the railway won't be a tourist attraction in its own right?

It'll still have the views of the surrounding landscape, which could make anything a tourist attraction. But there are already a lot of tourist attractions in the area, and we will merely be linking them up sustainably, rather than trying to attract more business. However, as it will make the Wye area easier to access the railway may potentially attract additional tourists as a side-product.

18) Would Sustrans have a role to play in this?

Sustrans can have a very large role, including providing paths between stations (allowing for round walks) and from villages to stations. This combination of rail and bicycle will help boost sustainable transport more than a cycleway, particularly on wet days, very hot days, in the winter, or if likely users are not keen, for whatever reason, on heavy exercise.

19) What about the bats?

Bats - which may live in the tunnels - will be served with a compulsory purchase order and alternative accommodation sourced.

20) What about the houses in the way along the route?

A new trackbed will be used at Wyesham, marginally deviating from the old one. Whitebrook will get a new garage free. Redbrook - where property demolition would unfortunately have to take place - will be dealt with as and when on whatever basis the owner feels is most satisfactory.

21) What about all the trees, rare plants and animals and strange landscape formations which will be destroyed in the process?

Re-developing brownfield land and encouraging public transport are both stated policies of the current Government. The railway may even help to boost the local economy.

22) What are the views of the locals?

None have got in touch (please do).

23) Have you sourced any potential stock?

The UK rolling stock situation is constantly changing, although a number of Wessex Electric units, some buffet cars, several MkII coaches and a selection of Driving Van Trailers are currently in store, along with a number of electric and freight locomotives.

24) Is any other stock likely to become available over the coming years?

Several commuter fleets around Glasgow and London are currently coming up for replacement although it is unclear as to how long they will remain available. Also constantly being promised for withdrawal at some point is the Pacer fleet.

25) Is anything which may be worth having likely to become available?

No. However, possibly the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) could be talked into arranging something with the Express Sprinter (Class 158) fleet and Arriva Trains Wales.

26) Why're there pictures of West Coast electrics around these pages if they're not in the potential list?

Partly because the boss likes them and partly because they were spare at the time (since then they've been sold to Bulgaria and their coaching stock converted for use in the IC125 fleet).

27) Why no Newsletter?

Having read the above, do you have any ideas for what we might be able to put in it?

28) Who would pay for it?

The local authorities are broke (both Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire are large counties with a higher number of roads than average but a smaller number of inhabitants than average). So we'd be looking at private individuals, Lottery funding, Europe, the WAG and Central Government.

29) Would it be profitable?

The WVR itself would almost certainly have to be run as a public service, particularly in the winter, but a service between Newport and Cardiff may be persuaded to run at a profit, especially if it undercut the local bus companies and offered a few extra intermediate stops.

However, some sources put visitor numbers to the area at 2,000,000 per year. The rail share of national traffic is 6%. This gives us loadings of around 120,000 passengers per annum before local traffic is counted. This figure is likely to rise as the economy sags and UK-based holidays become more attractive, leading to more people wishing to stay in an area where the car is unsuitable for daily use.

30) Can you provide extra details about the history of the railway?

Practically every detail we know about the history is here and our bibliography is listed on the main WVR page. However, if you're not satisfied, do get in touch and we'll see what we can do. At the worst, you'll get a polite list of places to go for further research.

31) Can you help me with my own project on the WVR?

If you want us for your TV programme, magazine article or book then we will aim to be co-operative. If you are doing a school project or informal research then feel free to get in touch. Our reasonable knowledge of railway technical phrases means that there may occasionally be a language barrier between normal English and railway English.

32) I know something about the railway which you haven't got here/ have my own pictures. Are you interested?

If you can supply more information or pictures (particularly of trains using the railway) then get in touch, although if there's no copyright on said information or pictures we may want to use them online. You will be asked before they go up if you didn't explicitly mention this in your original email. If it turns out you didn't have copyright we'll blame you whatever the legal basis for such blame is.

33) Will you keep my details?

Your email and email address will be retained for future reference, unless you request otherwise. You may be subsequently contacted about exciting (and not-so-exciting) developments, unless you request otherwise. If you give us other details these will be treated in the same way, although we do business by email. Your information will never be willingly passed to another organisation; if you are emailing us in the hope that we will sell your details and you will receive loads of offers for drugs and sex then go and find a different website.

34) Can I have your phone number/ real address?

No.

35) Can I meet you up to discuss the railway?

Unlikely, but please bear in mind that the boss has become manically paranoid (without any use of drugs) and so may insist on bringing company to a meeting place of his choice if such an agreement was made.