The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway was formed in 1982 with the aim of re-installing the Stratford on Avon to Cheltenham section of the former Great Western route between Birmingham and Cheltenham.
BR had removed all the track work, and many of the buildings, so the task ahead was daunting to say the least. Nevertheless progress has been steady over the years with the line slowly opening section by section. In 2003 one of the main aims was acheived, with the railway extending to Cheltenham Racecourse station on the northern outskirts of the town.
In this programme we study the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, which now runs trains over a ten mile stretch of the line.
Southern schools class locomotive No. 30926 Repton is seen specially re-identified as No. 30925 Cheltenham during a short visit to the line, which saw it hauling the special public opening train over the new extension. Other motive power seen in action over the Cotswold line includes: GWR 2-8-0 freight loco No. 3822, GWR Pannier No. 6412, GWR heavy freight 2-8-0T No. 4247, Ivatt 2-6-2T No. 41312, Modified Hall No. 6960 Raveningham Hall plus footage of the resident diesel fleet. |
