GWSR Cotswold Festival of Steam 'Cheltenham & Gloucester Steam Days' 12-14 May

We're pleased to announce this year's gala theme is...
'Cheltenham & Gloucester Steam Days'



This year we look a little closer to home for our inspiration, as we celebrate the railways of Gloucestershire. Gloucester has been a major railway hub since the mid 1800s and over the years Gloucester and the nearby spa town of Cheltenham have seen a vast variety engines from all 4 'Big Four' companies, as well as generations of prestigious named trains and expresses.
Join us over the 12th-14th May 2023 as we bring a steam spectacular of visiting guest stars that worked the local area, named expresses and local trains, shunting and goods trains, all run to an intensive timetable. Plus there will be traction engines, railwayana displays, traders, food and drink, miniature and narrow gauge railway rides and much more besides. A weekend of steam not to be missed!
Stayed tuned for our first gala guest engine announcement this evening! Tickets and further info to follow

 

I swear the theme had already been announced?
Anyway, it does look amazing, I hope we see something B&GR based.
Just what I need before I go to the US.

 

75014 "Braveheart" announced as first guest.

 

Indeed, courtesy of Dartmouth Steam Railway Standard 4 75014 Braveheart will be joining us for the first few months of the running season including the gala (effectively plugging the gap between 4270 being withdrawn and 2807 coming back into service later in the year) on a rare outing away from its home railway. BR standard 4s were regulars around the Gloucester area in steam days, so it fits nicely with our theme too.

 

Tempted though I will have to get a hotel as I'll have moved further away by that point.

 

Big "like" for that one. Excellent choice!

 

So I'm guessing that because of all the attractions that are happening this year, that this is going to be similar to last years?
4 visitors + Home fleet/75014?

 

Similar sort of scale to last and previous years yes, although of course we're always building on what we've done before to improve and keep it fresh and interesting.

 

Personally, I think this is interesting enough:
8 railway engines in steam.
Line-up of road engines.
Loads of kiosks selling different stuff.
Narrow gauge railway in service.
Gotherington house open to the public.
Vintage bus service.

Even the theme is interesting, being a local one, how many other railways do that?

 

Takes me back to my train spotting days as a youth, this loco regularly worked Liverpool - Rochdale trains via Bury Knowsley Street (now the ski slope on the ELR). Useful good looking clean lines locomotive, lot to like.

 

4079 Pendennis Castle has just been announced as the 2nd guest loco, courtesy of the Great Western Society (Didcot). This year's gala is shaping up to be an absolute corker!

 

And more still to come!

 

I'd better book that hotel room then.

 

Does your partner know?

 

Rather gooses the suggestion of "another S&D event"

 

Looks like 51241 will be one of the visitors.

 

Hopefully fussing around Winchombe for further entertainment between the passing trains.

 

I believe it is now 11243 in a wonderful LMS livery.

 

Well yes, the cat (or pug) is out of the bag, but we can now confirm that L&Y pug is visiting for the gala, resplendent in its shiny new LMS livery.



It will indeed be fussing around Winchcombe with a few wagons, but there will be opportunities for some short passenger trains too.

If you haven't yet done so, advanced discounted tickets can be bought now gwsr.vticket.co.uk/section.php/75/1/cotswolds-festival-of-steam-2023

The sooner you buy a ticket, the less hair the gala team and FD loses!

 

Yeah! Do we know when your fourth [hopefully final] visitor is actually going to be announced??!!
Only being patient is beginning to run very thin!!