THE Bank Holiday weekend is expected to see no fewer than eight steam locomotives along the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Steam Railway line as the charity stages its Cotswold Festival of Steam.

Taking place between May 28 and 30, the festival is geared towards the whole family with locomotives running between Cheltenham Racecourse via Gotherington, Winchcombe and Toddington to Laverton.

The locomotives will be working a range of passenger and demonstration goods trains over the 12-mile railway through the Cotswolds, to an intensive timetable offering plenty of action on the rails.

The event celebrates the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Great Western Railway’s Swindon works and all but one of the engines working over the weekend were built there, spanning more than half a century of steam locomotive design.

Among engines providing the entertainment are the oldest and youngest Swindon built engines currently in working order.

The star of the show, however; and making its public debut will be the Merchant Navy class pacific no. 35006 Peninsular & Oriental SN Co built in 1941. It has been restored by GWSR over the past 32 years and was launched into traffic by the railway’s president, Pete Waterman, last week.

Off the rails there is plenty to entertain visitors including the popular North Gloucestershire Narrow Gauge Railway which will be operating at least two of its 2ft. gauge steam locomotives on its half-mile line at Toddington.

There is also children's entertainment, traction engines and access to view the engine shed yard. At Winchcombe there are model railways to enjoy in the former Royal Mail coach, while it will be possible to visit a steam locomotive footplate in the station’s bay. Winchcombe station is also where you’ll find the railway’s ‘Discovery Coach’ which explains the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway and its context in the Great Western Railway’s history.

There will be a beer tent and refreshments.

Tickets on the day cost £25 for adults, £22 for senior citizens and £7 for children. A family ticket for 2 adults and up to three children costs just £59. More information is available on the GWSR website.