The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway is set to resume services on Saturday, March 2.

This follows two months of intensive activity by volunteers to maintain track, buildings, rolling stock and locomotives, ready for the new season.

However, while repairs continue on the magnificent and historic 15-arch Stanway Viaduct, just north of Toddington, at the beginning of the season there will be no trains to or from Broadway. However, services are expected to resume in mid-April as the vital works are completed.

In addition, due to increased security at Cheltenham's National Hunt racecourse at Cheltenham during the run-up to and immediately after the Cheltenham Festival (March 12-15), only passengers with prebooked tickets will be able to join or leave the train at Cheltenham Racecourse station on either weekend of March 9-10 and 16-17. Tickets can be booked up to midday before the day of travel. There will be no access to the station by car or on foot for 'turn up and travel' visitors on either weekend.

Catherine Johnson, the GWSR's marketing manager, said: "The railway and racecourse are sorry for any inconvenience this will cause but we hope that customers will join us via our other stations.

"Toddington, Winchcombe and Gotherington stations remain open. There is no parking at Gotherington (but is ideal for walkers), very limited parking at Winchcombe while there is plenty of free car parking at Toddington. I strongly advise everyone planning to travel, to join their train at Toddington."

The railway is again running its special trains for racegoers on all four days of the Festival, from Toddington station for pre-booked passengers only. For more information about these trains contact Classic Hospitality which is managing bookings and hospitality packages during the Festival.

The railway has been running these special race trains for Classic Hospitality since 2003.

Full details of the GWSR's train times and ticket prices, including the railway's new 'annual pass', can be found at the GWSR website.