C & PRR Railway

As many members will know the Railway has had a long standing requirement for a loco and carriage storage and maintenance shed at Chinnor.

Where we are now

An opportunity for some enhancements to the Railway has come with the redevelopment of the former Chinnor Cement Works by Taylor Wimpey who is creating a new estate of some 178 homes.

Outcomes for the Railway from this redevelopment include a new car park – twice the size of the present one, ownership of the existing sidings, together with some additional land beyond the end of them.

This redevelopment has given the Railway confidence to plan and invest in the construction of a new storage and maintenance shed. For a number of years, the Railway had leased a shed on the cement works site but with the demolition of the works this facility was lost.

Subject to planning approval, the new shed will be purpose-built to meet the Railway’s needs. It will include storage and engineering facilities which will allow engineers to work in the dry for the first time for a long while!

View of site
showing position of Maintenance Shed, Chinnor Station and the new estate. (Click for HiResolution PDF file)

Enlarged view of Maintenance Shed Showing Access (Click for HiResolution PDF file)

The storage and maintenance shed

It is proposed to be:-
A 46 x 10 x 5.5 metre steel portal frame building with metal clad walls and roof. The roof will have 20% translucent roof lights to allow natural light into the building. The internal arrangement will allow a restoration road capable of taking two coaches or locomotives and a shorter maintenance road, complete with pit, for loco maintenance, examinations etc. Beyond the short road it will have room for two workshops (Engineering and C&W), a mezzanine level will provide training facilities and offices. Other amenities will include a kitchen and toilets.

With a number of alternative provisional estimates and construction methods already obtained, more the detailed design work has now begun. Now the Railway has an Agreement with Taylor Wimpey we will survey the site to establish exactly what will fit. We will also be submitting a Planning Application to South Oxfordshire District Council to establish the relevant planning and building regulations, as these potentially have an impact on the final costings of the development.

And what it will cost

Estimates received suggest that we can build the bare shed for around £80,000 and the Agreement with Taylor Wimpey gives us the confidence to begin this Appeal so that we can get the basic shed built - subject of course to planning approval. . To fully furnish with track work, floor, workshop and infrastructure a further £120,000 will be required..

Plan for the Maintenance Shed (Click for HiResolution PDF file)

Your help!

The railway therefore is starting a big fund raising effort to complete this project - and the fund raising needs to start TODAY, as, at a minimum, the bare shed needs to be fully constructed before the offices and houses are built adjacent to it.
If you would like to make a donation to the Maintenance Shed Appeal and to help this amazing development and our dream come true, then
Either:-

Or:-

The fund currently stands at £91,165.00
Please contribute what you can so we can proceed with this as quickly as possible.