The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) is celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the birth of modern railways over the weekend of 27-28 September. Styled ‘GWSR: Past, Present and Future’ it explores not just the history of the former Stratford-upon-Avon to Cheltenham main line, but the growth of the heritage railway and how it might develop in the future.
· GWSR Past,Present and Future
· Rare chance toexplore ‘behind the scenes’ of this Cotswold railway
· Sir Timothy Laurenceto present volunteer long service awards
· How over 900volunteers operate the railway – and how to join them!
16 September2025: The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) is celebratingthe 200th Anniversary of the birth of modern railways over the weekend of 27-28 September. Styled ‘GWSR: Past, Present and Future’ it explores not just the history of the former Stratford-upon-Avon to Cheltenham main line, but the growth of the heritage railway and how itmight develop in the future.
Above all, it offers visitors a rare chance to explore ‘behind the scenes’ and find out how the railway’s 900-plus volunteers maintain and operate this popular Cotswold visitor attraction, which operates between Cheltenham Racecourse and Broadway.
During the event, long service awards will also be presented to volunteers who have achieved up to 40 years’ service in developing this heritage railway from its earliest preservation days. The Awards will be presented on 27th September by Sir Timothy Laurence GCVO,CB, President of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Trust (GWRT). In addition, Lord Richard Faulkner, a Patron of the GWSR and President of the Heritage Railway Association will be present.
During the weekend a range of exhibits and opportunities to ‘try your hand’ will show how each of the railway’s departments operate – from lineside and track maintenance; signalling; steam and diesel locomotive maintenance and operation; catering to the railway’s history.
The steam and diesel locomotive departments at Toddington will be open with opportunities to visit locomotive footplates, as well as the Carriage & Wagon department at Winchcombe. A photographic display at Toddington will feature some of the finest images of the railway and at Winchcombe, the railway’s history can be followed through pictures and storyboards. Meanwhile, at Gotherington, the private station grounds will be open with a Victorian theme – reflecting the earliest days of Britain’s railways. In any case,this peaceful location is well worth visiting, and visitors can have a go on a ‘pump’ trolley on the private siding!
An intensive train service will be operating throughout the weekend using both steam and historic diesel locomotives and a demonstration goods train of the sort that once used to visit the goods yards of local stations.
Philip Young,Chairman of the charitable Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Trust, which is sponsoring the event, explained: “Volunteering is both fulfilling and rewarding, providing opportunities to offer a meaningful contribution in maintaining the safety and operational success of our wonderful railway.
“Our volunteers are knowledgeable and very friendly. They’re keen to explain how the railway works. This is a rare opportunity to discover more about not just how the advent of the successful Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1825 spawned the national and international railway network we know today, but how we manage our historic locomotives and rolling stock as well as maintain the ‘permanent way’ and our stations.
He added,“Heritage railways such as the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway carry between them some 5 million passengers per year, contributing around £600m tothe economy – not just in terms of train ticket sales, but catering, retail and other income. They are vital for not just preserving our transport history, but supporting local tourist economies too.”
The event ispart of a nationwide range of celebrations styled ‘Railway 200’, marking the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in September 1825. This was the first commercially-successful railway in the world to exclusively use steam locomotives to work both goods and passenger trains. It captured the public imagination and prompted rapid growth of the national and international railway network, which for the first time, offered fast, inexpensive and efficient long-distance travel and goods transport.
Added JohnDora, Chairman of GWSR Plc which owns and operates the railway: “The development of heritage railways in the UK is not simply about looking back through history, important though that is. It’s about developing a sustainable and inclusive future for an increasingly treasured aspect of our country’s industrial and cultural heritage and that’s the story we are telling this weekend.
“I believe railways such as ours have a vibrant future. We are always exploring innovative approaches to engage our visitors, to adapt and to evolve. Heritage railways are not just a source of fascination and excitement for visitors, but play avital part in terms education and involvement for generations to come – very much embodying the spirit of ‘Railway 200’.”
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