Railway Herald
Steaming to the racesâ?¦ Steaming by train to the National Hunt Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse was an odds-on favourite for both punters and the Gloucestershire-Warwickshire Steam Railway from 13th - 16th March.
Hundreds of race-goers jockeyed for position on the platform before they saddled up for the 35-minute journey from GWSRâ??s home station at Toddington to the station at Prestbury Park.
For many punters it was not a spur-of-the-moment decision; they return year after year to start the festival with a fizz and beat the traffic in vintage carriages hauled by a fine thoroughbred steam locomotive.
Providing the horsepower for the At The Races charters were: 4-6-0 Manor class No. 7820 Dinmore Manor; 4-6-0 Modified Hall class No. 7903 Foremarke Hall; and Pacific rebuilt Merchant Navy class No. 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co.
Modified Hall Class 4-6-0 No. 7903 Foremarke Hall departs Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Steam Railwayâ??s home station at Toddington with empty coaching stock to pick up race-goers attending the National Hunt festival at Cheltenham Racecourse on 13th March 2018.
Roger Wasley
