The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway (GWSR) is gearing up for a spectacular event, the ‘Cotswold Festival of Steam', set to take place on May 25th, 26th, and 27th, 2024.
This year, visitors are in for a treat as two newly built steam locomotives, 2999 Lady of Legend and 6880 Betton Grange, will be showcased.
The ‘Lady of Legend', completed in 2019, revives the iconic Saint Class design, a brainchild of the celebrated G. J. Churchward of the Great Western Railway. This impressive locomotive was crafted by the Great Western Society at Didcot Railway Centre, utilising components from the Hall Class locomotive 4942 ‘Maindy Hall', which was saved from a scrapyard. This choice pays homage to the original Saint Class locomotives, none of which survived to see preservation.
These engineering marvels will be joined by two more Great Western 4-6-0 locomotives from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's own collection, 7820 ‘Dinmore Manor' and 7903 ‘Foremarke Hall', alongside other notable members of the railway's fleet, including the 2807 and 8850 freight locomotives, and the Southern Railway Merchant Navy Class 35006 ‘Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co'.
For the first time in preservation history, the festival will feature four types of Great Western 4-6-0 locomotives together, offering a unique spectacle for steam enthusiasts.
Tickets for the ‘Cotswold Festival of Steam' are now available for purchase on the railway's website. Early Bird tickets are priced from £33 for a one-day pass to £75 for a three-day pass, with special rates for children and family tickets.
Spanning 14 miles between Broadway and Cheltenham Racecourse, the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway provides a breath-taking backdrop for this historic event, promising a memorable experience for families, train enthusiasts, and history buffs alike.
Tom Willson, Chairman of the event's organising committee, says: “Seeing the Saint grace the rails of the GWSR really is a dream come true for the many supporters of our railway. We are deeply grateful to the Great Western Society and Didcot Railway Centre for entrusting us with their fine new locomotive. It is an extremely elegant design that will look very much at home on our beautiful Cotswold railway.”
“This is shaping up once again to be an outstanding event and we're thrilled to be presenting four classes of Great Western 4-6-0s together: a first for preservation. Last year we were honoured to have won a Cotswold Concierge award as the ‘Best Event in the Cotswolds' and we are working hard to make the 2024 Festival even better!”
Richard Jermyn of the Great Western Society added: “We are equally delighted to see Lady of Legend appear at the GWSR, an ambition we have held since the locomotive was completed. We have had a long and happy relationship with the GWSR and a number of locomotives from Didcot have visited the Cotswold line over the years. Original ‘Saints' used to work expresses over this route between the Midlands and the West Country. Seeing a Saint on one of its old stamping grounds will be a real thrill.”
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