Learn how a heritage railway is run at GWSR’s ‘Young Engineer’ weekend

Visitors to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR)’s ‘Young Engineers’ weekend will have the chance to learn about running a heritage railway later this month.

The railway’s volunteers will show off their skills and demonstrate how the 14 mile Cotswold heritage railway is run between Cheltenham Racecourse and Broadway.

The event takes place at the railway’s Toddington station over the weekend of September 28 and 29.

Richard Johnson, former Chairman of GWSR Plc and who is running the event, says: “The main purpose of the ‘Young Engineers’ is to attract the next generation of volunteers who make the railway what it is. 

“It’s a chance to see what our volunteer engineers get up to when they come to the railway and an opportunity for anyone with skills to offer, or none but would like to learn, to pursue a worthwhile hobby in an atmosphere of friendship and camaraderie.  And, while we are presenting the event as ‘Young Engineers’, really it’s open to anyone.  After all, many of our volunteers joined the railway after retirement, because they were looking for something worthwhile to do and to offer society.”

Richard, himself a volunteer, adds that: “You don’t have to be a railway enthusiast or indeed have a particular interest in railways – just the motivation to get involved with something that is rather special.  We already have over 900 volunteers who have joined us from all walks of life, but we could always welcome more to help secure the railway’s future.”

The event coincides with the recent announcement by The 2874 Trust, of a £151,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to help train the future generation in locomotive restoration skills.  The Trust’s locomotive is a 1919-built Great Western Railway 2-8-0 locomotive which is under restoration at Toddington and visitors will be able to discover what’s involved in this work.

Volunteers will also be on hand to explain other specific areas of interest.  “Many of our volunteers have found very worthwhile occupations and developed skills they wouldn’t otherwise have dreamt of fulfilling.  All of our departments are keen to attract newcomers to the railway family.”

Demonstrations and displays will be shown at Toddington from 10.00 to 16.00 each day, in and around a large marquee in the car park at Toddington and within the locomotive department buildings. 

The event presents interactive displays and workshops including:

• Permanent Way: how the team lay, ballast, maintain and tamp the track on which the trains run (tamp? You can find out what this means!)
• Diesel Department: how diesel-electric locomotives work and are maintained, including the opportunity to visit the cab of one of our locomotives
• Steam Department: What’s involved in restoring and looking after the railway’s superb steam locomotives
• Signalling: Staff will show how signalling works, with a limited number of organised visits to Toddington signal box.  The railway’s demonstration signal box at Toddington is open, too
• Carriage and Wagon Department: Although based at Winchcombe, the department will be showing how a goods wagon is restored as well as demonstrating carriage braking systems
• Bio-diversity: The railway is extremely proud of the way the land on which the railway operates is managed.  It is a wildlife corridor that supports a wide range of plant, invertebrate, animal and bird life
• Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Trust: the Trust is the charitable arm of the railway which provides funding for a range of projects, such as the recent restoration work on Stanway Viaduct.  It is also responsible for membership and the volunteer resource.

The event is free to attend.  An overflow car park adjacent to Toddington station will be open over the weekend although it is likely to fill quickly.  Otherwise, catch the train from either Broadway or Cheltenham Racecourse – there is unlimited free parking at the latter station, which is within the racecourse grounds.