The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway

The aim of this series is to appeal to readers of all ages, perhaps for different reasons...Within the series there will, for example, be tank engines, steam engines, electric trains and multiple units and many more varieties besides! Some of these will be recognised both by young and older readers alike from train sets, model railways and books, while others will be seen for the first time. Other titles in the series are set to cover Buses, Trams, Trolleybuse, Traction Engines and Commercial Vehicles. There will also be occasional volumes on significant events, anniversaries and the like so that over time the series will record 'future nostalgia'. The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway runs along a part of the former Great Western Railway's mainline from Birmingham to Cheltenham, via Stratford-upon-Avon. The line commands wonderful views of the sleepy hamlets and villages, as the it runs though the beautiful Cotswold countryside. The line was primarily built (1900-1906) to improve through services from Birmingham to Bristol and the West Country. It also carried fruit from the highly productive farming areas both in the Cotswolds and the Vale of Evesham.
"The Cornishman" express, complete with its chocolate and cream coaches, ran over this railway from 1952 until 1962 and formed the Wolverhampton to Penzance service via Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Bristol, Taunton, Exeter and Plymouth. The line closed to local passenger traffic on 5th March 1960, the last train being the (8731 Saturday Only) 10:25 pm Cheltenham St James to Broadway and 11:25 pm return. The line continued in use for goods services until an incident at Winchcombe on 25th August 1976 effectively closed the line.The views will be of absorbing interest to many, making this book the ideal companion for all who know the line, rail enthusiasts, visitors and locals alike. In this latest volume, No 41 in the series which is appearing out of sequence Malcolm Ranieri has gathered a selection of images illustrating a trip along the line in the preservation era. The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway runs along a part of the former Great Western Railway's mainline from Birmingham to Cheltenham, via Stratford-upon-Avon. The line commands wonderful views of the sleepy hamlets and villages, as the it runs though the beautiful Cotswold countryside.