Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway | Cotswold Festival of Steam | 25th-27th of May 2024.

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The weekend of 25th-27th of May marked the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's "Cotswold Festival of Steam", the theme for this year's gala being "Western Workhorses". Starring no less than 7 locos in steam, the GWSR played host to 3 visiting locomotives alongside its own resident fleet, each of these being new build examples of various GWR designs; one of these, 6880 'Betton Grange', hauled its first passenger services during the festival. Thus, the event also marked the first time in preservation that 4 GWR 4-6-0 designs have been steamed together, with a 'Saint', 'Grange', 'Modified Hall' and 'Manor' all in attendance!
An intensive timetable ensured plenty of variety across the gala weekend, with non-stop express runs, demonstration goods trains and double-headed workings all included. The personal highlight was a double-header with 6880 & 2999 on the Saturday evening - truly a spectacle to see two GWR new-builds paired up!
Visitors -
GWR 'Grange' 4-6-0 No. 6880 'Betton Grange' (Visiting courtesy of the 6880 Society)
GWR 'Saint' 4-6-0 No. 2999 'Lady of Legend' (Visiting courtesy of Didcot Railway Centre)
GWR 93xx 2-6-0 No. 9351 (Visiting from the West Somerset Railway)
Home fleet -
GWR 28xx 2-8-0 No. 2807
GWR 'Modified Hall' 4-6-0 No. 7903 'Foremarke Hall'
GWR 'Manor' 4-6-0 No. 7820 'Dinmore Manor'
SR Rebuilt 'Merchant Navy' Pacific No. 35006 'Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co'