The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway: Digging for Victory Appeal

The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, that goes between Toddington and Cheltenham Racecourse, is about to start work on a £670,000 project to repair its collapsed embankment, but they still need over £170,000 more to complete the work.

The popular heritage line is appealing for help to complete this final push to re-connect the severed heritage railway, which happened in January 2011 and severed the railway in two.

The work involves digging out and rebuilding earthworks with new material; substantial drainage works and the stabilisation of other embankments using high-tech solutions such as soil nails, which extend through the embankment into the ground beneath, holding the embankment in place.

Malcolm Temple, the GWSR Plc chairman, said: “… I’m delighted that we are now able to start work on the repair.  It has been a long struggle but I am overwhelmed by the generosity of local people, railway enthusiasts and the heritage railway movement as a whole.

“There is clearly a strong affection for our scenic Cotswolds railway which has enabled us to raise most of the money in our £1m emergency appeal, which was launched by our president, music and TV personality Pete Waterman.”

Full information is available on www.gwsr.com where donations can be pledged.