Working of Cheltenham Racecourse Station Traffic

Some information about Stratford-upon-Avon Raceecourse Platform, which was also on the Honeybourne line, has been added in an appendix to this article. 

In 2024, there are still race specials for the March Gold Cup meeting, which now stretches over four days rather than the three of bygone years. Cheltenham Racecourse station on the Honeybourne line to Stratford-upon-Avon is no longer connected to the national rail network, but is on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, which runs specials from Toddington to the course. Specials also run on the national network to Cheltenham Lansdown station, with punters bussed to the course. These are the busiest days of the year at Lansdown and present quite a challenge operationally. In 2015 luxury travel was on offer with two 'Orient Express' workings on Gold Cup Day, Friday 13 March, one train from London Victoria and another from Liverpool, Manchester and Crewe.

Going back to BR steam days, the Gloucestershire Railway Society magazine contained an article written by Major Charles Walker about railway traffic for the 1957 Cheltenham Gold Cup Festival, held on 12, 13 and 14 March that year. Cheltenham Racecourse station was only open for race meetings.

'An event such as the Cheltenham Race meeting means a lot of passengers to be handled in a short space of time with many extra trains and all that that involves. As can be appreciated, much is routine, based on former practice, but adequate steps must be taken so that ALL are informed and such things as opening the signal box, watering the stock before its return etc, are the definite responsibility of a named person.: i.e. everyone is kept 'in the picture'.

5046 'Earl Cawdor' of 84A Wolverhampton Stafford Road emerges from the 79 yards-long Hunting Butts tunnel with race special 1Z28 from Wolverhampton on 9 March 1961. Racecourse Station was – still is - beyond the far end of the tunnel. All the punters alighted at the racecourse and the empty stock will be stabled at Malvern Road or St James' while the loco proceeds to Gloucester for turning. 5046 was also active on Gold Cup Day 15 March 1962 on special 1Z16.  Photo Robin Stanton

By courtesy of the Operating Superintendent at Gloucester who supplied the relevant notices, we are enabled to give our readers some idea of what is involved.

Racecourse Station Signal Box has to be opened and tested prior to the meeting and be manned on racedays from 9.45am to 6.15pm.

Instructions are issued as to the handling of race horse traffic, in this case at St James', and also as to the provision of spare horse boxes. Also as to spare coaching stock at St James',Toddington and Kingham.

Travelling ticket collectors have to be provided to man all special trains and they have to report numbers travelling. At the station itself station master, announcer and six porters as well as signalmen and an inspector have to be arranged. A carriage cleaner has to be available at Bishop's Cleeve and three at Winchcombe; police also have to be on duty.

At the Racecourse station services such as water and electricity have to be checked and the station master  at St James' is responsible not FOR the weather but for reporting what the weather is and any news as to whether racing is cancelled or likely to be cancelled.

The motive power department are of course greatly involved; a 49XX 4-6-0 loco is to be available at Gloucester during the forward movement; then go to Malvern Road and be available for return trains if required. Also a 51XX 2-6-2T at Toddington to shunt empty stock, and a 69XX 4-6-0 at Gloucester to assist up trains if necessary.

Engines from Birmingham and Wolverhampton, after stabling their trains at Malvern Road (or handing over for stabling at St James') are required to come on to Gloucester and turn on the triangle Engine Shed Junction – Gloucester South Junction – Gloucester East. Similarly, those facing north will turn at Honeybourne on the triangular junction there, after leaving their trains at Toddington.+

It will readily appreciated that timekeeping is essential to the smooth working of such an operation and all concerned are notified repeatedly as to this necessity; a small recovery margin is inserted at Malvern Road East and instructions are given as to which train is to take priority at Lansdown Junction. All trains, except the Auto of course, run under class A headcode, and some regular trains are strengthened.

(It is understood that some stock was stabled at Bishop's Cleeve station yard if necessary, with the yard cleared of other traffic.)

6803 'Bucklebury Grange' of 84B Oxley arrives at Malvern Road with empty stock off race special 1Z17, presumably from Birmingham and Wolverhampton. Again this was seen by me on Gold Cup Day 15 March 1962. The immaculate loco has equally immaculate headlamps, four in total*, which suggests it might have displayed the Royal Train headcode – one under the chimney and three atop the bufferbeam - to the Racecourse. 6803 worked a Gold Cup special from Wolverhampton on 11 March 1965, in a somewhat grubby state and lacking nameplates. The structure on the left is part of the Diesel Fuelling and Inspection Depot built in 1958. See  'Tales of Two Sub-Sheds' for more information. Photo Robin Stanton

Details of trains stopping at Racecourse station are:

Arrivals UP:

11.37am Auto St James' to Honeybourne

12.17pm Excursion 040 from Parson Street, Bristol

12.25pm Excursion 070 from Cardiff

12.36pm Excursion 071 from Cardiff – 14 March only

12.55pm Excursion 010 from Paddington

1.05pm Excursion 011 from Paddington – 12 and 14 March ( 13 if required)

1.15pm Excursion 012 from Paddington – 12 and 14 March if required

1.21pm Excursion 072 from Gloucester Central

Arrivals DOWN:

10.02am Birmingham to Cardiff retimed

10.45am Evesham to St James' Auto

12.42pm Excursion 079 from Birmingham – 14 March only

1.20pm Excursion 080 from Wolverhampton

1.42pm Honeybourne to  St James' Auto

Departures UP:

4.50pm St James' to Moreton – in – Marsh

5.40pm Excursion 079 to Birmingham – 14 March only

6.05pm Excursion 080 to Wolverhampton

6.23pm St James' to Honeybourne Auto

Departures DOWN:

4.52pm Birmingham to Swansea retimed – 14 March only

5.28pm Excursion 072 to Gloucester

5.40pm Excursion 010 to Paddington

5.48pm Excursion 011 to Paddington – 12 and 14 March only

5.55pm Excursion 070 to Cardiff

6.00pm Excursion 040 to Parson Street

6.06pm Excursion 012 to Paddington if required

6.12pm Excursion 071 to Cardiff - 14 March only

6.15pm Auto calls to pick up Staff

Formation of these trains:

080 Wolverhampton; Brake first, 3 firsts, twin dining car, 3 vestibule firsts, 2 firsts, second, brake second. 13 vehicles

079 Birmingham; Brake second, 4 seconds, Cafeteria, 3 seconds, brake second. 10 vehicles

010 Paddington; Brake first, 2 firsts, dining car, 2 vestibule seconds, 7 seconds, brake second. 14 vehicles

011 Paddington; Brake first, 3 firsts, dining car, kitchen car and dining car, 3 firsts, brake first. 11 vehicles

012 Paddington; Brake first, 2 firsts, 6 seconds, brake second. 10 vehicles

040 Parson Street; Brake compo, first, Cafeteria, 2 vestibule seconds, 2 seconds, brake second. 8 vehicles (Additional first and second 14 March)

070 Cardiff; Brake compo, first, dining car, 2 vestibule seconds, 5 seconds, brake second. 11 vehicles

071 Cardiff (14 March only) ; Brake compo, compo, Cafeteria, 6 seconds, brake second. 10 vehicles

072 Gloucester; Brake compo, compo, 5 seconds, brake compo (non-corridor stock). 8 vehicles'.

Other race days saw special trains. John Dagley-Morris photographed Horton Road's 5914 'Ripon Hall'  - looking very grubby - with a special from Paddington on 29 December 1960.

At the 1961 Gold Cup Festival, John Dagley-Morris photographed doubleheaded 'Castles' 7010 'Avondale Castle' and 5056 'Earl of Powis' - both immaculately turned out by 81A Old Oak Common -  leaving the Racecourse station for London with train 1XO3 on Wednesday 8 March. The Queen Mother came to the races by train that day, probably the reason there were two locos. On the same day, 7913 'Little Wyrley Hall' was on Cardiff special 1Z29, while 7019 'Fowey Castle' of 84A Wolverhampton and 5032 'Usk Castle' from 81A were also seen.

On 13 March 1962 I saw 7018 on 1Z25 and 5073 'Blenheim' on 1Z27. The following day 7018 was again on 1Z25, while 6909 was on 1Z27. On Gold Cup Day 15 March, 5046 had 1Z16 and 6803 was on 1Z17 whilst 7018 had 1Z27, with Horton Road's 5951 'Clyffe Hall' on 1Z23. 

The last steam-hauled specials from London happened for the 1963 Gold Cup meeting, after which diesels reigned supreme - though steam from other locations was still possible, as noted above.

March 1963 race specials

There were two advertised specials from Paddington, one from Wolverhampton and one from Newport direct to Racecourse station, with another from Birmingham on Gold Cup Day. The trains from Paddington, one of which was First Class only, had a restaurant car, while those from Wolverhampton and Birmingham included a Buffet Car and the special from Newport had a Cafeteria Car.

The first day, 12 March, the four specials were hauled by 1014 'County of Glamorgan; 7008 'Swansea Castle'; 7024 'Powis Castle' and 7029 'Clun Castle'.

The next day 1014 was replaced by 5029 'Nunney Castle', while on its return trip 7008 was piloted by 6989 'Wightwick Hall'.

14 March, Gold Cup Day, had five specials hauled by 5029,7008,7029,7908 'Heveningham Hall' and diesel hydraulic D1036 'Western Emperor' then less than a year old.

On its return, 7029 was again piloted by 6989.

Footnotes

+ I remember one occasion in the 1950s when a 'Castle' came up chimney-first from Lansdown Junction to Gloucester Loop Junction, then reversed down to Hatherley Junction. Presumably it came off a race special.

* The standard code of engine head lamps for train classifications A to K required one or two lamps.  Only the Royal Train or , on occasion, a train carrying Royals needed four lamps.

Extract from BR WR Midlands Division (Birmingham District) Notice of Passenger Train Arrangements 4th to 10th May 1962:

There were no special trains for the races, but Stratford often received educational excursions with one on 10th May being 1Z29 from Paignton, 11 coaches including Cafeteria Car. A  troop special also passed through, 1Z76 Plymouth to Cosford with 13 coaches - but no Cafeteria Car! The working notice states: 'Running and Maintenance Depot to note load and provide suitable power' - wonder what was provided? Both specials would have travelled along the Honeybourne line.