The Festival: What’s happening then?

A souvenir brochure is being produced - a bargain at £2 - that tells you all that is happening at the Festival from 27 May to 4th June, a glorious event that will celebrate the Centenary of the line’s opening throughout and the 25th Anniversary of the founding of Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway Plc. Apart from a star-studded cast of locomotives there is plenty going on at the railway’s main stations. Here’s a summary of what you can look forward to:

Toddington

North Gloucestershire Narrow Gauge Railway
This 2ft-gauge line will be operating 27th to 29th May; 31st May and 3rd to 4th June. The station is on the opposite side of the car park to the standard gauge railway. For more information about the railway, click here

Flag & Whistle
The GWR’s tea rooms offer a wide range of light meals, snacks and drinks. It has an enviable reputation for its home-made cakes.

Station shop
A comprehensive range of products available including models, books, videos, magazines, cards, ‘Thomas’ themed toys and much more. Located on Platform 1. Extended opening hours during the Festival

Yard visits
Although there will be no guided visits to Toddington yard, access will be allowed in a fenced area leading to the yard, following the ‘unloading road’ between the large David Page shed and the former goods shed (now a machine shop).

Footplate visits
Visits will be invited to pannier tank no 9642 and recently-restored ‘Freightliner’ liveried class 47 diesel (including the engine room), both parked on the unloading road in the car park. Most of the steam locomotives will be available for footplate visits from time to time while in steam and will be stationed in the bay next to platform 1 (and in the bay at Winchcombe, too).

Attractions
Various stands in the car park will represent locomotive restoration projects and other organisations of railway interest, including Steam Railway magazine. Not all will be present during the weekdays.

Hook Norton Brass Band
Will be providing some virtuoso musical accompaniment to the day’s proceedings, next to Toddington Station on Sunday June 4th.

Garden Centre
Located at the entrance of the station

On-train catering
Buffet on most services (except autocoach). Look for the newly-restored RBR in the chocolate and cream set!

Winchcombe

Carriage and Wagon Department
There will be tours of Carriage & Wagon department in the former goods shed, where the railway’s acclaimed carriages and freight wagons are restored and overhauled. See progress on current projects, including a unique GWR horsebox. Demonstrations will take place and you can compare the state of a Mk 1 coach about to undergo restoration and one that has just been finished. Tours take place daily at 11.00 and hourly to 15.00.

Model railways and locomotives
Courtesy of Gloucester Model Railway Club and Cheltenham Society of Model Engineers there is an extensive display of models and a model railway layout in the large room in Winchcombe station building.

Beer tent
Courtesy of the nearby ‘Harvest Home’ pub at Greet (next to the station), the beer tent will be in place weekends on the grassed area next to Platform 2.

Footplate visits
For much of the time a locomotive in steam will be stationed in one of the bays for footplate visits

RATS
The Railway Archiving Trust coach museum coach will be open, in the bay on platform 1.

Vintage vehicles
Will be on show in the car park on certain days.

Cheltenham

The art of Frederick Lea
Our very own artist, Frederick Lea, will have a display of his acclaimed water colours and offering cards, prints and originals for sale. Included will be a specially-commissioned GWR centenary print. The display is in the waiting room on the platform.

Original Swindon booking hall
The booking hall, at the top level, is well worth a visit. It is a Swindon-built prefabricated structure that has been beautifully restored. Inside is a range of artefacts of railway interest including the stone unveiled by HRH Princess Royal when she re-opened the station.

Signalbox visits
Unfortunately it wasn’t possible to have the signalling at Cheltenham commissioned in time for the Festival. But there will be conducted visits to the brand new ’box, which houses the original GWR lever frame from Whiteball signalbox.)