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Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society |
 Cheltenham Racecourse Station |
 Toddington Station |
 Winchcombe Station 1 |
 Winchcombe Station 2 |
This summer’s Society coach trip was to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway’s Steam Gala “Return to Broadway” on Saturday 26th May. 35 people came on the trip, which made a small profit. Our coach was provided by Selwyns and we had two drivers.
The weather at first was overcast and wet but in the afternoon turned fine and sunny. We had to endure a seriously overcrowded steam-hauled Tyseley DMU complete with a screaming child on our first trip from Cheltenham Racecourse (haulage was by Great Western Pannier tank 6430). After that things could only get better and the promised steam traction was in action including Oliver Cromwell, King Edward II and Merchant Navy Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co.
Large crowds were present at every station and on every train, which was encouraging. The interesting narrow gauge line at Toddington was in operation and we were able to travel on that for no extra charge. We were able to cover the whole of the main standard gauge line including the recent extension to Broadway, which has brought the length of the line up to 14 miles.
A preserved London Routemaster bus was providing a shuttle service between Broadway station and the classic Cotswold village of Broadway, which is just over the border in Worcestershire.
The line was once part of the Great Western Railway’s line from Birmingham to Cheltenham via Stratford-upon-Avon and there are proposals for future extensions at both ends, at the north end from Broadway to Honeybourne (where there would be an interchange with the Oxford to Worcester line) and at the south end from Cheltenham Racecourse further into Cheltenham.
Suggestions for a destination for next year’s summer coach trip are welcome.
Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society
Registered Charity (No. 1093098)
© November 2018