Steam railway passengers up by 42 per cent
By Sarah Wood | 23rd January 2019
The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) has enjoyed its best ever year by a considerable margin.
Since the Broadway station opened in March 2018, increasing the railway's length to just over 14 miles, many of the Cotswolds railway's trains have been filled to capacity.
Altogether, the railway's steam and heritage diesel trains carried over 144,000 passengers - compared with 101,000 last year - an increase of 42.5 per cent.
The GWSR's volunteer commercial director, Colin Fewell, said: "This success is astonishing and it has exceeded all of our expectations - we thought we might see a 20 per cent increase in passenger numbers this year. Almost every aspect of the railway's operation has seen significant growth - whether ordinary operating days or special events.
"Opening Broadway station was a very special occasion and it has changed the dynamics of the railway. All ticket offices have seen big increases in sales. We often see the first train out of Cheltenham filled to capacity as people head to Broadway for the day.
"Anecdotally, those running shops, pubs, restaurants and tea shops in this delightful village tell us the railway has made a noticeable difference to their takings. It's clear that the railway is bringing people to Broadway without their cars and struggling to find a parking space.
"The novelty of Broadway station opening - which on some days saw passenger numbers almost double the previous year - won't be repeated. But as the news spreads that the railway is now over 14 miles long and goes from somewhere to somewhere, we will certainly still be regarded as one of the leading tourist attractions in the Cotswolds."
Picture credits: Ian Crowder (top) and Paul Begg (bottom)
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