Published 27th January 2007

What a year it was!  A look back to 2006…

We’ve been letting you know about ticket sales and loco mileages during 2006, the GWR’s best ever year, and that is a reminder that 2006 was a pretty eventful year for the GWR.

Construction work was the theme at the beginning of 2006, as it is this year – but then, it was the car park at Toddington being surfaced and not before time! It seems an age ago that on wet days, the car park’s capacity was reduced significantly because it transformed itself to something akin to the Lake District!

100 years

During the year, we made much of the Centenary of the original opening of the Stratford – Cheltenham line, and the 25th anniversary of the movement to restore it. A series of history lessons noted some of the interesting aspects of the line’s early history and it’s our intention to add to these from time to time. And a small team planned what was to become the railway’s most successful steam event ever – and one of the most successful in the country. 

That was the Centenary Festival over nine days at the end of May/early June which, in terms of motive power, spanned the years – with one of the oldest operating steam locomotives, no. 3440 City of Truro (1903), and the youngest – 9F no 92212 (1959).  Other locomotives attending represented a good cross section of types that might have been seen on our line during its heyday, including 0-4-2T no. 1450 with autotrailer no. 178, and Castle class no 5051 Drysllwyn Castle which brought memories back of ‘The Cornishman’ express which once ran over the line.

Comings and goings – steam…

There was plenty of to-ing and fro-ing of locomotives during the year, quite apart from the Festival.  92203 Black Prince – which is a few weeks older than 92212 mentioned above – went visiting to the West Somerset Railway for their successful Somerset & Dorset commemorative event, and also to the National Railway Museum’s outreach centre at Shildon. City of Truro, of course, went on its usual country wide visits, while visiting SR pacific Canadian Pacific (from the Mid-Hants Railway) made a foray under a sub-contract arrangement to the Great Central at Loughborough.  In return, the GCR loaned us an 8F 2-8-0 – and we also received a visit from pannier tank no. 6412 from the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. 

4936 Kinlet Hall departed too, ending a period when uniquely, two Hall class locomotives could be seen working together on a heritage railway.  ‘Prairie’ tank locomotives have also been a feature of the year – no. 5542 visited for the Festival and returns this year, while large ‘Prairie’ no. 4141 also visited. Both these engines were at one time, based at Cheltenham.  Sister to 4141, no 4160, arrived in December for the Santa season and remains on the line until March.

…and diesel

On the diesel front, the impressive class 56 no. 56003, also departed for the Churnet Valley Railway but not before boosting numbers visiting the GWR’s successful diesel galas. And our own class 37, no. 37324, enjoyed a holiday at Swanage, returning in the middle of the Centenary Festival, where for a few days it impressed visitors as it rested on the low-loader that delivered it. A diesel visited too – class 20 no. D8142 from Llangollen joined our resident D8137, the two locos making a real spectacle of themselves as, nose to nose, they double-headed trains during the diesel gala.

Safety first

Not only are we the ‘friendly line in the Cotswolds’ but we’re the ‘safe railway in the Cotswolds’ too.  The GWR boasts an excellent H & S induction scheme as well as regular first-aid courses. It is also a first-responder unit able to administer emergency treatment to people who suffer a heart attack and other life-threatening conditions and the year featured simulated emergency days to keep the team on their toes. During the year, the team dealt with everything from bee stings to cuts and bruises suffered by visitors – and received many letters of praise in the process.

North? South? Or both?

Where the line might go in the future is always a hot topic. Latest News carried stories about possible development south of Cheltenham Race Course which could see rail head back into the town once again – but certainly, some form of rapid transport over the trackbed.  Of more concern was speculation about the line north of Broadway and whether it is owned by the cycle path charity, Sustrans, or not.  It seems that it is and the GWR’s Board is investigating how to take this forward for the benefit of the railway.  Meanwhile, there’s plenty to be getting on with on the Broadway extension.  During the year, the railhead reached Stanton Lane road bridge while much excitement was generated with locomotive 1450 and the autotrailer crossing the magnificent Stanway viaduct for an early-morning photography session.

Infrastructure

The GWR now has sufficient materials to reach Broadway – and that includes some significant acquisitions including Exminster signal box, signalling equipment retrieved from the Wolverhampton-Telford line and some modern pointwork from Rugby – work on installation of which has started at the north end of Toddington station.  All that’s needed now is a station building (and some options are being explored right now).

And talking of infrastructure, during September the permissive foot crossing at Woodmancote was surfaced, making life easier for people with wheels to manage – such as wheelchairs, push chairs or kids on bikes.

Ending on a high note

The year was rounded off with another spectacular event – the Centenary Christmas Cracker. Six engines in steam, one diesel, over 2,000 visitors (despite the weather) and lots of very happy people – both visitors and staff! And to top it all, more tickets were sold than ever before. 

This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what’s going on. We could mention the new toilet block at Winchcombe.  Or completion of the signalling at Cheltenham.  Or the RbR restaurant coach entering service and all the bacon rolls it has produced. We haven’t mentioned the magnificent work carried out by Carriage & Wagon department, or the individual restoration projects at Toddington. Or the magnificent collection of pictures in our Galleries.  But information on these and much more is on this website. 

Talking of which, we now have a new webmaster who has great plans for development of the site into the future.

So keep visiting!