Aims and achievements
Our long term vision is to bring heritage rail services to the old Sharpness branch line, to help us educate the public about the impact of the railways in the local area and create an extra attraction for the community.
We achieved part of the dream we had when we started back in 2015, by running our first trains at Oldminster Sidings in October 2025. Although the operating scope at Oldminster Sidings is modest, we've since gone a massive step further by running our Class 143 Pacer set along almost the whole length of the branch, up towards Berkeley Road, with the very welcome cooperation and support of Network Rail.
We continue to focus on building our maintenance, workshop and educational experience centre at Oldminster Sidings. Our aim is that by 2030 or sooner, as a visitor you can enjoy the hands-on excitement of riding behind a steam or diesel engine – which maybe you can even drive. Perhaps you might try pulling the levers that make signals work, browse through our museum displays or just watch it all happen from the comfort of your picnic bench in the sun. And maybe, once again ride with the Vale of Berkeley Railway along the Sharpness branch.
Oldminster Sidings
At the current end of the Sharpness branch is a set of four freight exchange sidings. Abandoned by British Rail in the late 1990s, these sidings became overgrown and forgotten, with trees taking hold. These are the Oldminster Sidings, which is now the operational base for the Vale of Berkeley Railway. In 2017 we were granted a license for the site from Network Rail and since then volunteers have spent many thousands of hours clearing it of trees and vegetation.
Fulfilling our objectives at Oldminster Sidings involves a number of phases, many of which we’ve already achieved:
-
Secured the site and vacated the Old Engine Shed, so all work is now concentrated at the Sidings
-
Refurbished the railway lines to running standards
-
Created a locomotive and rolling stock unloading facility
-
Installed temporary storage and welfare facilities, and a temporary shelter for locomotives
-
Submitted our planning application to Stroud District Council for our workshop and maintenance building
-
Started the process of bringing utility supplies to the site.
All of this has been constantly monitored to ensure compliance with Health and Safety standards and to minimise our environmental impact.
As of August 2026, we are awaiting planning permission from Stroud District Council. This will allow the next phase to commence, which is to build our workshop and maintenance building. This will require significant funding, so if you’d like to support our progress, please donate!