{"id":331,"date":"2014-12-31T16:23:38","date_gmt":"2014-12-31T16:23:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cheltenhamhotels.co.uk\/?page_id=331"},"modified":"2022-02-10T18:43:27","modified_gmt":"2022-02-10T18:43:27","slug":"gloucestershire-warwickshire-railway","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.cheltenhamhotels.co.uk\/things-to-do\/gloucestershire-warwickshire-railway\/","title":{"rendered":"Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway"},"content":{"rendered":"
Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, GL50 4SH<\/div>\n

\"GloucestershireOn the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway (GWSR)<\/a>, travellers can step back in time to a period when rail travel was a fundamental part of British life. This heritage railway operates along a 12-mile stretch of track between the Cheltenham Racecourse<\/a> and the rural hamlet of Laverton with both steam and diesel engines in use.<\/p>\n

The original line was part of the Honeybourne Line that provided services between Cheltenham and Birmingham, which opened in 1906 and eventually closed in 1976. In 1984, a preservation group reopened part of the line with steam trains providing the service. Since then, more of the track has been restored with plans to develop the line even further.<\/p>\n

The Route<\/h2>\n

The track starts at Cheltenham Racecourse. The original station building remains at the Racecourse and from here there is bus access to Cheltenham town centre.\u00a0Leaving Cheltenham Racecourse, the line provides views of Cleeve Hill, which is the highest point in the Cotswolds. The line then leads into Gotherington Station. Volunteers have rebuilt the station, as the original building is now a private home.<\/p>\n

The journey continues onwards from Gotherington Station and offers views of the Vale of Evesham, which was inspiration for Tolkien\u2019s Middle Earth. It then heads into Greet Tunnel \u2013 the second longest tunnel on a preserved railway.\u00a0Trains then arrive in Winchcombe, a town that was once the capital of the Saxon kingdom of Mercia. Here visitors will find another period station that has been completely restored by volunteers.<\/p>\n

The final station on the route is Toddington. From here, trains continue to Laverton, but only to turn around for passengers wishing to do a round trip. Fundraising is ongoing to extend the line past Laverton.<\/p>\n

Seasonal and Special Events<\/h2>\n

The GWSR has a number of special and seasonal events throughout the year that generally require advance booking. These include:<\/p>\n