VOLUNTEERS at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway are raising a cheer as the share issue passes the half way mark towards raising the £1.25 million needed to extend the line to Broadway.

The milestone comes just 12 weeks after the railway’s president, pop producer and TV personality Pete Waterman OBE, launched the share issue at Broadway station in April.

Finance director Chris Bristow said: “I’m thrilled and humbled at the generosity of so many people. For a voluntary organisation like ours to attract such a flow of funds is extraordinary.

"This means we are ordering rail from British Steel at Scunthorpe as well as other materials. We are also pressing on with vital drainage and civil engineering works which have to be finished before the rest of the track goes down.

“There are many heritage railways trying to raise money for a range of worthwhile projects but this must be one of the most successful in terms of public response. I think it underlines the great affection that so many people have for our wonderful railway.

“Many applicants are from Broadway and local people clearly want to see their railway station back. And if we run our first trains there in 2018, nearly six decades will have passed since the last time a train stopped there. British Railways took away Broadway’s train service in 1960.”

Lord Faulkner of Worcester, a patron of the railway and president of the Heritage Railway Association, said: “This illustrates that heritage railways have become a vital part of the country’s tourist economy.

“The GWSR has overcome many difficulties in its quest to reopen as much as possible of the Honeybourne Line and it deserves all the support it can get.

“Reaching Broadway will give the railway a 15-mile length, linking it with Cheltenham - two of the most important tourist destinations in the Cotswolds. I have no doubt that the railway’s passenger numbers will jump significantly once Broadway is reached. And, in turn, that will help contribute to the economy of the area.

“People who visit heritage railways go on to visit other tourist attractions, use local shops, stay in hotels and B and Bs and, indeed, enjoy all the region has to offer.

"Reaching the half way mark so quickly is clearly cause for celebration. But of course, there is still another £600,000 or so to raise before the job can be finished and I’d urge anyone who has not got around to buying some shares to do so now and help keep up the momentum.”

Shares are available for as little as £100. To see a copy of the prospectus and find out how to apply for shares, visit gwsr.com or call 01242 621405.