FOR the person who ‘has everything’ or for a really unusual but lasting Christmas gift, the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) has just the ticket.

As previously reported, the railway launched a major fund-raising appeal to extend the line to Broadway in October and is nearly half way to its £500,000 total after just two months.

The money is needed to pay for the refurbishment of five bridges where the line will pass.

All of the bridges need work, but two require significant repairs to fix damage caused by corrosion, movement of embankments or strikes by lorries. The project will see trains running between Broadway and Cheltenham for the first time in more than 50 years.

Railway chairman Alan Bielby said: “Many youngsters and those who are young at heart hope for model railway equipment at Christmas – but here’s a chance to own a bit of the real thing. For as little as £100 you can be a shareholder in the ‘Bridges to Broadway’ share offer. Not only will you get a rather fine share certificate but as a shareholder, you get tickets to ride on the steam railway every year – in fact, in just three years you will more than repay the investment in travel concessions and there aren’t many investment opportunities that can promise that.”

For further details, visit gwsr.com or call 01242 621 905