All aboard to celebrate 40 years of the GWSR

Steaming out of the station at Cheltenham Racecourse, little brings history more to life than the heritage attraction that is the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR). This fabulous track, right on our doorstep, plays host to traditional coal-powered steam trains, alongside historic diesel engines, chugging along the Cotswold line. While it hasn’t been the year that the GWSR has been planning for, 2021 marks 40 years in operation, in which time the railway has gone from nothing to more than 14 miles of carefully maintained track, stretching from Cheltenham to Broadway via Winchcombe and Toddington.

This year GWSR has more to celebrate than most, as they regain some semblance of normality after a double whammy of challenges that emerged last year. Like every single person and organisation in the UK, COVID-19 presented a unique and uncomfortable challenge for the railway, at a time when they’d already been challenged by a serious embankment slip right next to the track. It might sound like a simple fix – moving some earth and rubble and rebuilding the embankment to ensure the safety of the line – but this feat of engineering was a much bigger challenge than you might expect, costing almost £1million to fix and resolve in readiness for the railway to resume.

While most of the repairs were funded through a campaign for private donations, it none-the-less depleted some of the financial reserves of the railway, which GWSR had hoped to recover through a successful 2020 season. Alas, COVID-19 had other ideas, and while GWSR did an admirable job of creating Covid-secure journeys, their fully booked timetable between lockdowns still only managed to transport 33% of the usual 140,000 passengers that use the lines each year.

While there were challenges, to which GWSR adapted admirably, the railway is ultimately in great shape. The timetables are almost back to what they were in 2019, and all going according to plan, many of the much-loved events are returning, including of course the Santa Specials. 

Employing just seven full time staff to support this massive operation, the GWSR is largely reliant on its 950 volunteers, and with an average age of 60 years plus, many were forced to, or chose to isolate during the pandemic. It is nice to see the majority of these return, to form a group of volunteers who cite each other as lifelong friends.

2022 is looking extremely positive for the railway. As well as the full complement of the events we know and love, there are plans afoot for a brand-new roster of family-friendly events that the team is very excited about. Despite much cajoling and wheedling, the team at GWSR is tight-lipped about what these events might be, with nary a hint given out, but we’re sure they’ll be just as exciting and engaging as their current ones! In the meantime, we’re on board to visit the exhibition at Winchcombe celebrating 40 years of this fabulous railway and can’t wait to see what’s in store for the next 40.

Speaking to Ian Crowder, PR Manager for GWSR, he comments “GWSR has a very special place in the local area. It’s loved by locals and visitors alike, and it makes a unique and lasting impact on the local economy too. We’re always surprised by how many new visitors we get from Cheltenham; people who’ve lived here their whole lives, but only just realised we’re here. COVID was and continues to be a challenge for the railway, but the whole team has responded admirably, and it is nice to see things returning to some sense of normality. It really is a #HappyPlaceCheltenham and we can’t wait to welcome you aboard and #loveyourrailway!”