Editing Golden Valley line

{{Short description|Railway line in England}}
{{distinguish|Golden Valley Railway|Golden Valley Light Railway}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}

{{Infobox rail line
| box_width           = 
| name                = Golden Valley line
| color               = 
| logo                = 
| logo_width          = 
| logo_alt            = 
| image               = GWR Class 800 on the Golden Valley line next to the canal in Stroud.jpg
| image_width         = 280px
| image_alt           = 
| caption             = [[British Rail Class 800|Class 800]] on the Golden Valley line
| type                = [[Heavy rail]]
| system              = [[National Rail]]
| status              = Operational
| locale              = [[Gloucestershire]] and [[Wiltshire]], [[South West England]]
| start               = 
| end                 = 
| stations            = 
| routes              = 
| daily_ridership     = 
| open                = 
| close               = 
| owner               = [[Network Rail]]
| operator            = [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|Great Western Railway]]
| character           = 
| depot               = 
| stock               = [[British Rail Class 800|Class 800]]
| linelength          = 
| tracklength         = 
| tracks              = [[Double track]]
| gauge               = {{RailGauge|sg|allk=on}}
| routenumber         = 
| electrification     = None
| speed               = 100 mph (160 km/h) maximum
| elevation           = 
| website             = 
| map                 = [[File:Golden Valley line.png|280px]]<br>([[:commons:File:Golden Valley line.png|Click to expand]])
| map_state           = uncollapsed
}}

{{Golden Valley Line diagram}}

The '''Golden Valley line''' is the popular name for the railway line connecting {{rws|Swindon}}, {{rws|Gloucester}}, and {{rws|Cheltenham Spa}} in England.<ref name="GRRGV">{{cite web| url=https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/article/26100/a-history-of-the-golden-valley-line/| title=A History of the Golden Valley Line| website=Global Railway Review| first=Daniel| last=Davis| date=25 January 2016| publisher=Russell Publishing Limited}}</ref> Originally constructed as the [[Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway]], the line opened between Swindon and Kemble (with a branch to [[Cirencester]]) in 1841; it took an additional four years to complete the remaining sections.

The line diverges from the [[Great Western Main Line]] at Swindon, passes through the [[Sapperton Railway Tunnel|Sapperton tunnel]], and descends the [[Golden Valley, Stroud|Golden Valley]] to {{rws|Stroud}}. At Standish Junction, just north of {{rws|Stonehouse}}, it merges with the main line running between {{rws|Bristol Temple Meads}} and {{rws|Birmingham New Street}}.

==Origin of name==
The "Golden Valley" refers to a section of the valley of the [[River Frome, Stroud|River Frome]] located between Chalford and Stroud, which the railway line follows for part of its route. It is said that the name was coined by [[Queen Alexandra]], wife of [[King Edward VII]], while travelling on a train along this route in June 1909.<ref name="GRRGV" /> Since then, the name has become associated with the entire line from Swindon to Gloucester and Cheltenham, as these are the endpoints of the shortest train services along the line.{{cn|date=July 2018}}

==Places served==
The towns served by the route are:

* [[Swindon]]
* [[Kemble, Gloucestershire|Kemble]]
* [[Stroud, Gloucestershire|Stroud]]
* [[Stonehouse, Gloucestershire|Stonehouse]]
* [[Gloucester]] (through trains must reverse, or omit calling here)
* [[Cheltenham]]

The other intermediate stations and halts were closed to passengers on 2 November 1964. [[Kemble railway station|Kemble station]] was a junction for two branch lines serving [[Cirencester branch line|Cirencester]] and [[Tetbury branch line|Tetbury]]; both branches closed to passengers on 6 April 1964 and their tracks were subsequently lifted.<ref>Peter Dale, ''Gloucestershire's Lost Railways'', Stenlake Publishing, Catrine, 2002, {{ISBN|1 84033 225 5}}, pp. 6–8</ref>

==Services==
Passenger services between {{rws|Paddington}} and Cheltenham are operated by [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|Great Western Railway]]. Services run approximately hourly. There are limited services between {{rws|Swindon}} and Cheltenham Spa on Mondays to Saturdays. The maximum speed on the line is 100 mph (160 km/h).<ref>"[https://sacuksprodnrdigital0001.blob.core.windows.net/sectional-appendix/Sectional%20Appendix%20full%20PDFs/Western%20Sectional%20Appendix%20December%202021.pdf Western Route Sectional Appendix December 2021] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221051415/https://sacuksprodnrdigital0001.blob.core.windows.net/sectional-appendix/Sectional%20Appendix%20full%20PDFs/Western%20Sectional%20Appendix%20December%202021.pdf |date=21 December 2021}}" (PDF). ''Network Rail''. 4 September 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.</ref> 

==Electrification proposal==
In 1977, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Nationalised Industries recommended the electrification of more of Britain’s rail network. By 1979, [[British Rail|BR]] presented a range of options to achieve this by 2000.{{sfn|Anonymous|1979|pp=0–2}} These options included electrifying various former Great Western routes, such as the Golden Valley line.{{sfn|Anonymous|1979|p=8}} However, under the [[Premiership of Margaret Thatcher|Conservative governments from 1979 to 1990]], which succeeded the [[Labour government, 1974–1979|Labour government of 1976–1979]], the proposal was not implemented.

==Reinstatement of second track==
[[File:View of the Golden Valley line, looking towards Stroud.jpg|thumb|Looking towards Stroud]]

The line was originally built as a double track, but in 1968, it was reduced to a single track between Swindon and Kemble as a cost-saving measure. It was initially intended that the entire section between Swindon and Standish Junction would be single track, with passing places at Kemble and Sapperton; however, protests led British Rail to abandon the project after reaching Kemble.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}}

Network Rail proposed reinstating the second track in September 2008 and then again in September 2009, but the plans were referred to the [[Office of Rail Regulation]] (ORR). Despite protests by local [[Member of Parliament#United Kingdom|MPs]],<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2008-06-30a.703.0&m=1494| title=Swindon to Kemble Railway (Redoubling)| date=30 June 2008| website=They Work For You| publisher=MySociety}}</ref> the ORR made a preliminary decision that the project would not be included in the 2009–2014 [[High Level Output Specification]] plan for new rail infrastructure.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/gloucestershire/7699202.stm |title=Extra railway line hopes dashed |work=[[BBC News]] |date=30 October 2008 |access-date=16 November 2008}}</ref> In the [[2011 United Kingdom budget|2011 Budget]], the Government announced that funding for the redoubling would be provided, with works initially scheduled for completion by Spring 2014<ref>{{cite news |title=Chancellor approves Kemble to Swindon railway upgrade |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-12832259 |work=BBC News |date=23 March 2011 |access-date=24 March 2011}}</ref> but later delayed until August 2014.<ref>{{cite news |title=Swindon to Kemble railway line re-doubling delayed |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26067520 |work=BBC News |date=7 February 2014 |access-date=12 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title=£45m rail doubling from Kemble completed| url=http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/11433688.__45m_rail_doubling_from_Kemble_completed/?ref=eb| access-date=27 August 2014| work=Wiltshire Gazette & Herald| date=27 August 2014}}</ref>

Initial work involved slewing the single track, which had been moved to the center of the trackbed during the singling works. This was followed by excavation, clearance, and the installation of the new track. Level crossing works were also undertaken. The line was officially reopened by [[Anne, Princess Royal]] in October 2014.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web| url=https://premierconstructionnews.com/2014/11/18/redoubling-swindon-to-kemble-railway-line/| title=Redoubling Swindon to Kemble Railway line| date=17 October 2014| website=Premier Construction News| access-date=26 December 2018}}</ref>

The redoubling was an important step in the [[21st Century upgrade of the Great Western Main Line]], as it provides a diversionary route for trains between London and Cardiff when the [[Severn Tunnel]] is closed or during electrification works between Swindon and {{rws|Severn Tunnel Junction}}.<ref name=":0" />

==See also==
* [[Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway]] – provides additional details about the earlier stations on this line.
* [[Thames and Severn Canal]] – runs alongside the railway line and is visible from the train, especially between Stroud and Kemble.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{cite book |author=Anonymous |title= Railway Electrification |date=Winter 1979 |publisher= [[British Railways Board]] (Central Publicity Unit) |pages=0–2, 8 }}

{{Railway lines in South West England}}
{{Transport in Gloucestershire}}

[[Category:Rail transport in Gloucestershire]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Wiltshire]]
[[Category:Railway lines in South West England]]