British Railways Past & Present Special - Snow Hill to Cheltenham
This Past & Present preserved line 'Special' covers a much longer route than normal, in order not only to give a picture of the line as a whole, but also to embrace two well-established preservation centres as well as a stretch of line frequented by steam-hauled specials and the sites of possible future preservation ventures.
The Great Western Railway's route from Birmingham Snow Hill to Cheltenham opened throughout in 1908, and comprised two distinct sections. The first was the North Warwickshire line via Tyseley to Stratford-upon-Avon. The preservation element of this section is the Birmingham Railway Museum, home of many of the locomotives that run the popular steam specials to Stratford. The extension southwards took the line through Honeybourne, skirting the picturesque Cotswold Hills and touching Worcester-shire at Broadway before completing its journey through the rolling Gloucestershire countryside. Closed in 1976, part of this latter section is today operated as the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, while the northern section is also the subject of a restoration project based at the still-rail-connected former MoD complex at Long Marston.
Once traversed by the Wolverhampton-Penzance 'Cornishman' express, and today a mixture of modern commuter line, abandoned trackbed and thriving preservation, this is a scenic route rich in contrasts, with a varied history and a potentially exciting future.
Softback, 112 pages, black & white photographs
Condition: Very Good
ISBN: 9781858951317
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Updated: 2 January 2025