Running through the heart of the beautiful Cotswold countryside, the line commands wonderful views of the sleepy hamlets and villages that can only be enjoyed to their full extent whilst travelling along this former part of the Great Western Railways mainline from Birmingham to Cheltenham via Stratford-upon-Avon.
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The line was primarily built (1902-1907) to carry fruit from the highly productive farming areas both in the Cotswolds and the vale of Evesham and later performed as a passenger and secondary goods line until its closure. In its hey day "The Cornishman" express, complete with its chocolate and cream coaches ran over the Honeybourne line 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 passenger traffic on 5th March 1960, the last train being the (8731 Saturday Only) 10:25 pm St. James to Broadway and 11:25 pm return. The line continued in use for goods services until an accident at Winchcombe on 25th August 1976 and officially closed in January 1977.
In 1982 The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway was formed with the aim of one day restoring this line from Stratford Race Course to Cheltenham Race Course, back to its former glory. Although originally double tracked throughout by the time the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway purchased the track bed, most of the buildings and all of the track had gone. The only survivors being, Toddington main station building and the goods shed.
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Winchcombe, the next stop down the line, was practically none existent except for the goods shed. Both platforms and station buildings had disappeared completely. GWR currently own the track bed from Broadway to just beyond Cheltenham Race Course. Since 1982 they have established an operating base at Toddington and restored 6.5 miles of track from Toddington to Gotherington. |
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1998
saw the completion of the footbridge at Toddington, the acquisition
of a footbridge for Winchcombe, the first standard gauge steam engine
to move under its own power at Cheltenham Racecourse station since
its closure, and permission to start laying the extension to Cheltenham
from the Gotherington run round loop. 1999 saw the completion of the station canopy at Winchcombe, and the first mile of track laid on the extension towards Cheltenham Racecourse. |
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