Our History

The Great Western Railway obtains an Act of Parliament permitting construction of a double-track railway between Honeybourne and Cheltenham and doubling of the single-track route from Stratford-upon-Avon to Honeybourne, creating a through route from the Midlands to the South West to compete with the Midland route which survives today.

Work began on construction of the Honeybourne-Cheltenham line in November.

Disaster struck while the 15-arch, 42ft high, gently curving viaduct was being constructed. At 8.15, without warning, no. 10 arch, which had been completed a few days earlier, collapsed soon after its timber supports had been removed

The line opened from Honeybourne to Broadway on 1st August, and to Toddington on 1st December.

Line extended to Winchcombe (1st February) and Bishops Cleeve (1st June). Laverton Halt opened 14th August.

Final section to Cheltenham opened to the connection with the line to the original Cheltenham station (later St. James) at Cheltenham Malvern Road East Junction (1st August). The route continued towards Gloucester on the existing GWR line alongside the Midland main line. At this stage, Prestbury Park racecourse was being laid out and Racecourse station was not opened.

Line opened with nine or ten stopping passenger services each way between Cheltenham and Honeybourne on weekdays.

The 4.45pm Paddington to Wolverhapton express train was timetabled to slip rear coaches at Moreton-in-Marsh, with one coach for Stratford via Honeybourne and the other for Cheltenham via Honeybourne with regular stops at Broadway and Winchcombe plus other request stops along the line. Until the 1950’s the only long distance service to stop at intermediate stations on the line

Cheltenham Malvern Road station opened and the original Cheltenham station was renamed Cheltenham St. James (30th March). Cheltenham High Street Halt opened 1st October.

First through trains introduced between Wolverhampton and the West Country, which became a lasting feature of timetables. Other destinations included Cardiff, Birmingham, various West Country towns and, for a short time, even Norwich.

Cheltenham Race Course station opened, seeing both equine and passenger traffic for the first Cheltenham Gold Cup that year.

Cheltenham High Street and Malvern Road stations closed as a wartime economy measure. High Street never reopened; Malvern Road was reopened in 1919.

Hayles Abbey Halt (note the spelling of Hayles with a 'y') opened on 24th September to coincide with the opening of a new museum at the abbey.

Up to 12 summer Saturday expresses used the line in each direction as well as local passenger and freight traffic.

Gotherington closed to goods traffic and reduced to 'Halt' status on 1st January.

Great Western Railway was absorbed by British Railways on nationalisation

Gotherington signal box closed.

Weston-sub-Edge station closed to goods traffic (25th September) and signal box closed (8th October).

The Wolverhampton-Penzance express was named 'The Cornishman'. The line was heavily used throughout the 1950's, including much summer holiday traffic to the West Country.

Gotherington station closed (13th June).

Local passenger services between Cheltenham and Honeybourne ended on 7th March with closure of intermediate stations north of Cheltenham Racecourse. Broadway signal box closed (10th October).

Last 'Cornishman' express ran over the route on 7th September; this and other express trains were re-routed via the Birmingham - Gloucester line.

Bishops Cleeve closed to goods traffic (1st July). Last steam-hauled race train ran, hauled by 'Castle' class locomotive Clun Castle (14th March).

Cheltenham Racecourse signal box closed (9th February). Goods traffic withdrawn from Broadway (1st June) and Winchcombe (2nd November).

Signal boxes closed at Winchcombe (24th February) and Bishops Cleeve (11th July). Most through freight traffic was re-routed from 8th November. Last steam-hauled trains ran over the line.

Cheltenham St James and Malvern Road stations and all remaining stations north of Honeybourne Junction closed (3rd January).

Toddington was the last station yard to remain open for goods traffic (it was important for fruit traffic from the Vale of Evesham), closing on 2nd January.

Last timetable through passenger train, Leamington Spa to Gloucester, ceased from 23rd march. Cheltenham Racecourse station, which had remained open for race trains, was officially closed on 25th March, but was reopened in 1971 for occasional race traffic until 1976.

Through passenger trains ceased using the northern (Stratford - Honeybourne) section with withdrawal of the Stratford - Worcester service on 5th May.

Line used only as a diversionary route; much of the infrastructure, including stations, demolished.

Last visit by a race train to Cheltenham Gold Cup , 14th March, hauled by a Brush Type 4 (Class 47) diesel. Freight traffic came to an abrupt end with derailment of a Toton to Severn Tunnel Junction coal train at Winchcombe, close to the B4632 bridge, causing considerable damage to the track. The line never reopened. It was officially closed on 1st November with the track staring to be lifted from July 1979.

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Society formed at public meeting at Willersey Village Hall on 18th August with aim to persuade BR to retain line.

Society became Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Trust on 28th October, seeking to preserve the line.

A lease was taken out on part of Toddington yard. On 30th May, the first items of rolling stock arrived for restoration. Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway Plc was formed in August. Track laying began.

The Department of Transport granted a 'Light Railway Order' - permitting the Company to relay the line between Broadway and Cheltenham

Purchase of 15 miles of track bed, associated land and remaining buildings completed on 24th February. Line reopened on 22nd April by Rt. Hon Nicholas Ridley, MP and public services commenced over 700 yards of track.

Since 1984 volunteers have steadily restored the line, building signal boxes, station buildings and replacing lost signalling and other infrastructure, working south from Toddington towards Cheltenham Race Course and north towards Broadway.

2,000 yards of track laid to Didbrook.

Trains run as far as Hayles Abbey, approx 1.5 miles.

Line reaches Winchcombe - first steam train for 28 years arriving on 8th March. Winchcombe station officially opened by John Slatter, Chairman of Winchcombe Council. Re-construction of the former Monmouth Troy station building started at Winchcombe. The former Hall Green, Birmingham, signalbox had been re-built at Winchcombe and became operational (there were no buildings remaining at Winchcombe, except for the Weigh Bridge and the goods shed which is now the base for restoration of carriages and wagons). Track laid through Greet Tunnel (693 yards long).

Line reopened as far as Gretton (4.25 miles from Toddington). A group of volunteers request approval from the plc board to start a buffet service on the trains using the RMB (mini buffet car) already in the service rake of coaches.  This was at first refused but later agreed provided in involved no costs to the company. The Redditch and Alcester area groups donated £100 to get the project started.

Hot meals were provided for a pre-booked group from the local police force.  The hot food was supplied by The Pheasant public house at Toddington and delivered to the brake van where it was plated up and served by the the railway's On Train Catering (OTC) volunteers.  The landlord of the pub who was also a director of the railway at the time provided the professional catering advice to allow this to be done safely.

Line reopened as far as Far Stanley (5 miles).

Line reopened as far as Gotherington (6.5 miles).

Track was laid in Cheltenham Racecourse station and a Press Launch inaugurated by Laurence Robertson MP to promote the share issue.

Railtrack express an interest in using the route as a possible diversionary route because of increasing congestion on the former Midland line between Gloucester and Birmingham. Station canopy at Winchcombe completed. Work starts on relaying track on the southern extension.

On 28th December, the track was laid as far as Cheltenham Racecourse, an '03' class diesel shunter pulling the first works train in to the station, 10 miles from Toddington. However, at this stage the line needed to be ballasted and finished and was not operational. The Cheltenham extension incorporates a section of continuously welded rail through Woodmancote, to minimise disturbance for local residents from passing trains. A temporary Tea Room service is established at Winchcombe for a 'Thomas' event. OTC provide a beer “tent” in the waiting room on Platform 2 at Toddington during the October Steam and Vintage Fayre. They also run a bar in the Flag and Whistle cafe for a Saturday evening dance at the same event. 'Rail Ale' is introduced in time for Santa Specials season.

On 20th February, a press day was held to celebrate completion of the track laying an to promote the effort and funding required to complete work on the reinstated line, before passenger trains can run again. Hunslet 0-6-0ST shunting locomotive 'King George' becomes the first steam locomotive to travel to the Racecourse for over 30 years. Good progress made towards completion of the trackwork. Major ballasting exercise carried out during December.

Work started towards building a new platform building at Cheltenham Racecourse. During April/May, Balfour Beatty Rail Plant Limited send a tamping machine to the line as part of a training programme for their technical staff, finishing the Cheltenham extension to the highest possible standards of safety. Final ballasting also completed as part of this programme - in all, some 8,000 tonnes of stone ballast has been used on the three-mile extension. Deal signed with Racing Tours Limited to run special race trains to Cheltenham Racecourse from the Cheltenham Festival in March 2003. On 17th November, first rake of passenger coaches reaches Cheltenham Racecourse station since 1971, launching the '2003 Race Trains'. First track laid northwards from Toddington towards Broadway, to a point just short of Stanway viaduct. A 1950’s themed tearoom at Winchcombe is created for a historic vehicle day.  Period “Nippy’s” costumes are used for counter staff. Seventeen of the railway's OTC volunteers purchase an RBr carriage (Restaurant Buffet refurbished) and bring it to the railway for refurbishment and future use.

Racing Tours Limited, in conjunction with the GWR, run race trains for the 2003 Cheltenham Spring Festival / Gold Cup - allowing race goers to once again travel 'by rail to the races'. OTC stewards provide table service only for whole train. HRH The Princess Royal opens Cheltenham Racecourse station on 7th April. First public trains run on 12th April, using visiting Schools class locomotive 'Cheltenham'. GWR wins Ian Allan Independent Railway of the Year Award, and the Heritage Railway Association's Annual Award. Believed to be the first time both awards have been won by the same railway for the same year. New website launched.

GWR's season ends on 1st January having carried nearly 46,000 passengers - a 25% increase on the previous year. During January and February, nearly one mile of track replaced between Toddington and Winchcombe. Despite some objections, plans are approved for Fish and Chip Special trains. The first one was run strictly for volunteers to test the system with the first public train being shortly after.

Track laying northwards towards Broadway commences, and track is laid across the Stanway Viaduct. In November, an engineering train becomes the first train to cross the viaduct since 1979.

The GWR celebrates the Centenary of opening throughout from Stratford to Cheltenham, in 1906. This year was also the 25th anniversary of the formation of Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway Plc and the effort to restore the line. (see 1906 and 1981 in this chronology).  The first steam locomotive to cross Stanway Viaduct in preservation is 0-4-2T no. 1450 with an autotrailer (a combination known locally as the Coffee Pot), on loan from the Dean Forest Railway for the railway's highly successful Centenary Festival. The railway ran a special day for people who recalled the 'Coffee Pot' service that once ran from Cheltenham to Honeybourne. The Broadway extension reaches Stanton Lane bridge, over a mile north of Toddington. 67,327 train tickets sold - a record year for the GWR.  The refurbished RBr buffet car enters service on trains for the March diesel gala. Bacon rolls are introduced at weekends and events only. Toasted tea cakes and home made cakes are at all times. Customers in the RBr can be served tea in tea pots with china tableware.

£100,000 project starts on major improvement of the locomotive servicing facilities at Toddington. Signalling at Cheltenham Racecourse commissioned; structural work on Gotherington signal box also completed. In July, flooding affected much of Gloucestershire causing suspension of services for the first time since the GWR started them. Six operating days were lost. National Railway Museum's iconic locomotive 'Green Arrow' visits for Cotswold Festival of Steam. 150th anniversary of the Great Western's most famous Chief Mechanical Engineer, G J Churchward. Railway's passenger numbers exceed 70,000 for the first time.

David Shepherd's 'Wildlife & Steam' talk and art show raises £19,000 for the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. Landslip near Cheltenham Racecourse closes line south of Gotherington. Repairs extend through to February 2009, costing £300,000. Phase 2 of £100,000 Toddington redevelopment: new inspection pits used for first time. Cream Teas are added to list of catering options for group bookings.

25th anniversary of the commencement of services over just 700 yards of track on April 22nd. New bridge built over Laverton Road, between Toddington and Broadway.  Railway carries its 1,000,000th passenger in April and a record 74,000 passengers during the year. Share capital in GWSR Plc exceeds £1m.

Serious embankment collapse at Gotherington severs railway, closing line south of Gotherington to Cheltenham Racecourse. Short extension north of Toddington, over Stanway Viaduct, passed for passenger carrying. Pete Waterman appointed President of GWSR Plc and launches £1m emergency appeal to repair embankment collapse. Contracts placed for the repair of the embankment. Two locomotives restored at Toddington return to steam, ex-Turkish State Railways 8F no. 8276 and 1905-built GWR 2-8-0 no. 2807. Work starts on building a new platform at the site of Broadway station. Several Santa Specials cancelled following severe weather, resulting in £50,000-£60,000 lost revenue. The railway's OTC volunteers are asked to open a permanent tea room at Winchcombe station in 2011.  This is to be achieved without incurring any expenditure as the railway has no spare money for anything except line repairs.

Second serious embankment failure, this time at Chicken Curve just north of Winchcombe station, severs the railway between Winchcombe and Toddington. Railway decides to continue running on a divided line, with steam and diesel trains operating from Winchcombe and a diesel railcar operating from Toddington. Gotherington embankment repairs completed. Emergency appeal extended for repair of Chicken Curve. Diesel railcar crosses Stanway Viaduct and heads northwards to Laverton to become the first passenger train for 40 years over the first part of the Broadway extension north of the viaduct. Several other heritage railways raise funds for Chicken Curve embankment repairs, including Great Central Railway, Severn Valley Railway, North Norfolk Railway, Talyllyn Railway, miniature Echills Wood railway and the East Lancashire Railway. The appeal passes £600,000. Gotherington Signal Box opened to pass trains for the first time.

Work starts on repair of the collapsed railway embankment at the Chicken Curve. Celebration of Cheltenham Racecourse station's centenary with a cake-cutting and bunting. New two-track diesel shed built at Toddington. GWR's Emergency Appeal reaches its £1m target. Repair of Chicken Curve embankment collapse completed and the first train makes a round trip over the newly re-connected line. GWR wins Heritage Railway Association Peter Manisty Award for Outstanding Contribution to Railway Preservation in recognition of "its grim determination in dealing with its double slip disaster…" and is 'highly commended' in the 'Modern Railways' magazine Restoration Awards for its presentation of Winchcombe Station.

The railway becomes a favourite location for filming the BBC1 television Father Brown series, based on the GK Chesterton short stories. The Flag & Whistle tearooms are refurbished. Lord Dear and actor Timothy West become Patrons of the Development Foundation Campaign. The ITV series, 'Rory Bremner's Great British Views' features the railway. The railway’s 'The Cornishman' magazine, wins the prestigious Heritage Railway Association 2012 Publications and Media award for the best Magazine. Construction starts of a new Platform 2 at Cheltenham Racecourse Station, and the 'Bridges to Broadway' Share Offer is launched.

The main contract is placed for refurbishment of the five bridges between Laverton and Broadway following news that the Bridges to Broadway share issue has passed the £400,000 mark. HRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall accept honorary life membership of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Trust. The railway wins Silver in the 'Tourism Experience of the Year' category of the 2013 Awards organised by Cotswold Tourism. The 'Bridges to Broadway' share issue closed on 31 October, and total income passed the £500,000 target by over £65,000. Eighty lengths of 113lb flat bottom rail in 60ft lengths are purchased from Tata Steel's Scunthorpe rolling mill to enable just under half-a mile of new track to be laid

The railway wins Bronze in the 'Large Visitor Attraction of the Year' category of the Cotswold Tourism 2014 Awards. Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway's 900 volunteers are recognised with the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service for 2015, formally presented by Dame Janet Trotter DBE, Lord Lieutenant for Gloucestershire. Construction of the recreated Broadway Station continues, and the Broadway Signal Box building is fast approaching completion. Lord Faulkner of Worcester, President of the Heritage Railway Association, opens the Bill Ellesmere Paintshop at the Carriage & Wagon Department's facilities at Winchcombe, built thanks to a very generous bequest from late volunteer Bill Ellesmere. Rebuilt Southern Region merchant navy class pacific steam locomotive 35006 Peninsular & Oriental SN Co moves under its own power for the first time in 51 years following restoration at Toddington. The GWSR's 2015 season saw records tumble once again, cementing the railway's appeal as one of the leading attractions in the Cotswolds, with a record 88,569 passengers carried over the year.

Work started on rebuilding Hayles Abbey Halt to serve the nearby Hailes Abbey ruins and museum. Pete Waterman launches the new 'Broadway: the last mile' share issue to raise £1.25 million to complete the northern extension of the railway to Broadway station . The share issue whistles past the half-way station in just 12 weeks. Merchant Navy class pacific no. 35006 'Peninsular & Oriental SN Co' makes its public debut at the Cotswold Festival of Steam, after more than three decades of painstaking restoration. The railway has its best year ever and receives the TripAdvisor® 2016 Certificate of Excellence Award – for the Third Year Running.  As the last train of the 2016 season pulled away from Cheltenham Race Course Station it was carrying travellers who had taken the railway’s passenger numbers across the 100,000 barrier for the first time.

The railway updates it’s website to make it useable on mobile devices. Work starts on the railway’s new £300,000 Visitor Centre and educational facility at Winchcombe station, with a £25,000 grant from the Aviva Community Fund towards the cost. The line opens southwards for passenger traffic as far as the Little Buckland bridge (just over one mile short of Broadway) on 23 May making the total length of the line some 13 miles. Hayles Abbey Halt, between Winchcombe and Toddington, opens to the public on 6 June for the first passenger trains since 1960.

Public train services from Broadway start again on Good Friday 30 March, 58 years after they ended. Work continues at Broadway station with the platform 2 work, signalling, cafe and the access road all being worked on by volunteers. Standard Pacific locomotive 70013 Oliver Cromwell,  GWR King Class 6023 King Edward II, United States Army Transportation Corps S160 Class 5197 and Push and Pull Pannier 6430 all pay a visit for the 'Give My Regards to Broadway' celebration steam gala in May. Class 42 diesel hydraulic locomotive no. D832 ‘Onslaught’ from the East Lancashire Railway and class 35 diesel hydraulic locomotive no. D7017 from the West Somerset Railway visit the railway for the 'Back to Broadway' celebration diesel gala in July. The collision protection system is installed on the railway bridge near Broadway Station to protect it from the frequent vehicle strikes it has suffered over the years. The Refreshment Room opens at Broadway Station. A Buffet Bar service is introduced on Diesel Railcar services. The Stanton aqueduct and footbridge is replaced because of extensive corrosion.  A new company, Toddington Standard Locomotive Limited, is formed to restore and ultimately, operate Standard locomotive 76077. It's another record year with annual passenger numbers on the GWSR now in excess of 140,000.

Volunteers continue rebuilding Platform 2 and the Footbridge at Broadway Station. Broadway Station Refreshment Room opens to customers in March. Restoration of Standard locomotive 76077 continues. Construction starts on the Loco Departments’ Welfare Building. The Railway's first Heritage Engineering Skills Day is held in August. Ex-WR Pannier tank No. 9466 arrives in September for a short spell as a resident steam loco. The railway wins both the Heritage Railway Association Award for Large Groups, and the Steam Railway Magazine Award for the construction of Broadway Station.

The Administration Department and Management personnel move from their temporary accommodation at Toddington to offices at Churchward House, Winchcombe Railway Station. The railway takes back the garden centre site at Toddington station, expanding the space available for future parking and accommodation development. Major repair works commissioned for the River Isbourne under the railway east of Winchcombe Station. Resident locomotive 2807 withdrawn from service for its ten-year overhaul. The COVID-19 pandemic strikes. Most Special Events cancelled. Later in the year the railway operates limited ‘Covid-safe’ service trains and Santa Specials during the latter part of the season. The pandemic has a devastating effect on the railway, volunteers and employees. Pannier tank No. 9466 left the railway as there was insufficient work for it. In December, resident Brush type 4 Diesel Electric Locomotive No 47105 moved for first time in over 9 years.

The railway continues operating ‘Covid-safe’ trains to mid-July with carriage sanitising, booked seats and compartments, social distancing, one-way systems and hand-sanitiser locations to protect passengers and volunteers. From mid-July normal train services are resumed with passengers able to sit wherever they wish and hop on and off at the different stations just like before the pandemic. In May volunteers started using the new Loco Departments’ Welfare Building (known as 'The Goods Shed'), replacing a Mk 1 coach that had been used by volunteers since the 1980s. The railway commemorates 40 years since the start of work by volunteers in 1981 to rebuild the line. Celebrations included a photographic exhibition of the restoration work and an Anniversary Weekend Gala with most of its operational steam and heritage diesel locomotives running. This was the first special event the railway had held for some 2 years because of the Covid-19 restrictions. Plenty of construction work continues at various locations including the footbridge at Broadway Station, refurbishing the viaduct at Stanway, the Usk GWR Weighbridge Building at the north end of Winchcombe Station, and the relocation of passenger booking hall facilities at Cheltenham Racecourse Station to Platform 1.

Major repair work and refurbishment of skew bridge 10 on the B4632 at Stanton, of a major landslip south of Winchcombe Station and track replacement at several locations is completed in time for the start of the train operating season in March.

Finding good quality coal for the railway's steam locomotives became an issue because of limited stock of Welsh coal remaining and the end of supplies from Russia and Ukraine following the the invasion and war there. The price of coal became a major concern.

Broadway footbridge is open for passengers to go onto to take photographs. A canopy extension from the station building on Platform 1 to the footbridge is completed and is a fine addition to a beautiful station.

Continued hot and dry weather in July and August resulted in the suspension of steam services and the use of heritage diesels for 2 weeks because of the danger of lineside fires.

In August the beautifully restored GWR Cotton Sturdy 3-wheeler transport vehicle was transported over to Gloucester for the Cotton Motorcycle Owner's gathering. Apparently there are only three working Cotton Sturdies in the country and we have one of them - it is used by the Friends of Winchcombe Station when doing major garden maintenance work.

Two preserved Deltic diesels which formerly ran on the East Coast Main Line visited the GWSR - a first for railway which attracted a great deal of interest.

In December, The Trust’s ‘The Cornishman’ Magazine Editor Jack Boskett is presented with a 15-year long service award.

Exhibition ‘Journey Through Steam’ run at The Broadway Museum.

Work continues at a pace on the restoration of Standard loco 76077 and Churchward 2-8-0 loco 2874. Churchward 2-8-0 loco 2807 moves under its own steam following its three-year overhaul and is back hauling passenger trains.

One of the Carriage and Wagon Department’s highly skilled carpenters, Colin, celebrates his 90^th birthday. The Department starts making a range of railway moquette cushions for sale in the railway’s shops.

New shop opened at Broadway Station.

Major repair work starts on Stanway Viaduct commences following the launch of a successful fund-raising appeal by the GWR Trust.

Steam locos GWR 4079 Pendennis Castle, Southern Railway ‘U’ class 31806, Class 21 ‘Pug No. 19 and Standards 75014 and 78019 visit the railway and appear at the 2023 Cotswold Festival of Steam Gala. Diesel Class 25 No. 7650 visits for the Summer Diesel Gala.

Bookable Cream Tea service launched on selected afternoon trains.

Around 20 employees from Colas Rail spend a day at the railway in a voluntary capacity to create a ‘natural playground’ and picnic area next to platform 2 at Winchcombe Station.