Welcome to the homepage of the Toddington Narrow Gauge Railway, situated at the edge
of the Cotswold Hills at Toddington Station, headquarters of the
Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. Our line is of two foot gauge and
is operated with steam and diesel traction by the North Gloucestershire
Railway Co. Ltd. You will find steam locomotives that operated
on narrow gauge railways in Belgium, Poland and South Africa. On rainy
days you may travel in a carriage that ran on the narrow gauge railways
of Poland and a very rare survivor. Our other carriages are open and
give a more intimate view of railway operation than on standard gauge
trains. Nearly all of our rolling stock is kept under cover in our
large shed that is open when trains are running. Additionally you may
visit our ex Midland Railway signal box, California Crossing, that came
from Gloucester and served the Birmingham to Bristol main line.
OUR 50th YEAR
The North Gloucestershire Railway has its origins in the Dowty Railway Preservation Society (DRPS) that was formed in October 1962 at the Dowty factory that was situated at Ashchurch, near Tewkesbury. on the Birmingham to Bristol main line. Initially standard gauge locomotives and rolling stock were collected . The site was also home to other societies and locomotives including GWR 4-6-0 No. 7808 Coockham Manor and LMSR 4-6-2 No. 46201 Princess Elizabeth. The DRPS acquired a steam loco from Cadburys at Bournville and a narrow gauge line was also laid. The larger locomotives gradually moved away and in 1983 the DRPS itself moved to its present home at Toddington., the home of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. The Cabdbury loco inaugurated steam passenger trains on the latter and the DRPS greatly extended the existing narrow gauge railway at Toddington. The DRPS then decided to concentrate on narrow gauge and sold off the standard gauge items and also severed its links with the Dowty group factories and thus the North Gloucestershire Railway Co. Ltd was formed. On Sunday 7th October, therefore, we are holding a special open day to celebrate our fifty continuous years in railway preservation.
OUR 50th YEAR
The North Gloucestershire Railway has its origins in the Dowty Railway Preservation Society (DRPS) that was formed in October 1962 at the Dowty factory that was situated at Ashchurch, near Tewkesbury. on the Birmingham to Bristol main line. Initially standard gauge locomotives and rolling stock were collected . The site was also home to other societies and locomotives including GWR 4-6-0 No. 7808 Coockham Manor and LMSR 4-6-2 No. 46201 Princess Elizabeth. The DRPS acquired a steam loco from Cadburys at Bournville and a narrow gauge line was also laid. The larger locomotives gradually moved away and in 1983 the DRPS itself moved to its present home at Toddington., the home of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. The Cabdbury loco inaugurated steam passenger trains on the latter and the DRPS greatly extended the existing narrow gauge railway at Toddington. The DRPS then decided to concentrate on narrow gauge and sold off the standard gauge items and also severed its links with the Dowty group factories and thus the North Gloucestershire Railway Co. Ltd was formed. On Sunday 7th October, therefore, we are holding a special open day to celebrate our fifty continuous years in railway preservation.
Photo S.A. Mourton
Taken at Didbrook loop, the southern terminous of the line, this photo is of JUSTINE,
one of the resident locos at Toddington.
JUSTINE was built by Arnold Jung of Kirchen an der Siieg, Germany in 1906 and is a typical 0-4-0 well tank of which many
thousands were built for industry and contractors. JUSTINE spent her working life at a gravel washery at Maeseyck on the banks
of the river Maas in Belgium in the ownership of Gerard Smeets and was named after one of his daughters.
The carriages are built on the frames of Hudson bogie wagons of a type used in RAF depots.
Home | How to find us |
Timetables |
News | Contact usJUSTINE was built by Arnold Jung of Kirchen an der Siieg, Germany in 1906 and is a typical 0-4-0 well tank of which many
thousands were built for industry and contractors. JUSTINE spent her working life at a gravel washery at Maeseyck on the banks
of the river Maas in Belgium in the ownership of Gerard Smeets and was named after one of his daughters.
The carriages are built on the frames of Hudson bogie wagons of a type used in RAF depots.