25 February 2026 Stratford Upon Avon to Cheltenham 1904-1979
Presenter: Tony Bowles
The Chichester Branch’s February Zoom meeting saw Tony Bowles return, and he showed a further selection of historic photographs from the Restoration & Archiving Trust.
Tony’s subject on 25/02/2026 was the section from Stratford-upon-Avon to Cheltenham (Malvern Road), part of the former GWR mainline from Birmingham. Weekday services were limited, but on summer Saturdays an intensive service could be seen on specials from the Midlands to holiday resorts in the south-west. Specials were also run during the Cheltenham Gold Cup meeting, and for school performances at the Shakespeare Festival Theatre.
A selection of motive power was to be seen on the above-mentioned specials, with Castle, Abbey, Hall, Star, County, Grange & Manor classes featured. Locomotives from other regions often worked the Festival Theatre specials, with five different from the Southern included. GWR diesel and steam railcars were seen operating local services, as well as diesel-hauled freights running during the last days of this route. Signalling was not ignored and there were a number of shots of GWR signals, particularly those controlling the yard just to the north of Stratford.
Today the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway operates on part of this route, running heritage trains between Broadway and Cheltenham Racecourse stations.
There follows further relevant information and pictures taken in September 2014 or April 2012 (Cheltenham Racecourse) supplied by Geoff Adams.
The route closed in 1976, following serious damage to the track caused by the derailment of a freight train.
The heritage Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway has a long-term aim of extending northwards a further 6-miles from Broadway to meet the national rail network at Honeybourne.
Additionally, Stratford District Council approved earlier this year the long-running plans to reopen the 9-mile stretch between Stratford-upon-Avon and Honeybourne. Currently, the line stops a few hundred yards south of Stratford-upon Avon station This plan is also understood to be supported by other Councils in the area. Much of the former track bed forms the popular ‘Stratford Greenway’ walking/cycling path, and construction would necessitate overcoming potential environmental impacts as well meeting the considerable costs of the project. ..
If both the above plans come to fruition, only the section between the stations at Cheltenham Racecourse station and Cheltenham Malvern Road would be unrestored. However, it would seem highly unlikely that this missing link will ever be restored, given part of the route has been incorporated into other schemes within Cheltenham and any work required to Hunting Butts tunnel, south of Cheltenham Racecourse station. This later mentioned site is understood to continue to be used for storing stock awaiting restoration.
