If you are visiting us at a weekend or over a bank holiday, we have arranged a  free coach connecting service between Toddington and Winchcombe Stations.

This service is being provided by volunteer supporters of the railway, at their own expense.

To enable you to plan your journeys, here is the coach timetable. The train services timetable can be found on the GWR leaflets available from all of the booking offices.

The coaches leave from the station forecourt in Winchcombe and from outside the Flag & Whistle cafe at Toddington Station.

If you enjoy the extra experience of travelling on one of these heritage coaches reminding us of what travel around Gloucestershire was like thirty years ago, then you are invited to make a voluntary contribution to their upkeep and running costs. A bucket for donations will be found at the front of the coach.

Remember, by buying a combined travel ticket this gives you the freedom of both of our lines plus the coach connection between and in addition, the ticket is valid for 2 consecutive operating days.

One of these buses will be operating the route:

This coach is a Leyland Tiger built in Lancashire in 1983. The bodywork is by Plaxton and was built on the other side of the North Country in Scarborough. It spent the first six years of its life working for National Express in the livery is has been restored to today, and was based in Plymouth. It was then sold to a private operator in the West Country. Many thousands of pounds have been spent in its restoration by the current owners and there is still some work to be done during the season. The coach is air sprung and is very comfortable but during the run from Winchcombe to Toddington it is unlikely to reach its potential maximum speed of 85 mph.

These two coaches are Leyland Leopards with bodywork again by Plaxton. That on the left was built in 1975 and on the right, KAD 359V dates from March 1980. They were both registered in Gloucestershire where they started their working lives for the National Bus Company subsidiary, Black And White Coaches, and were based in Cheltenham. KAD 359V was used on the Premier Service 777 Cheltenham to Paris.

It is very welcome to see these heritage local coaches once again working on the roads of Gloucestershire.

If however you are visiting us midweek, please note that there are two opportunities for you to experience both lines by using public transport between Winchcombe and Toddington. (The price of the public bus service is not included in the GWR combined ticket price)

Route 1 - using Cheltenham Race Course as your base and commencing your travel at 12:00

• Cheltenham Race Course station - steam train departs 12:00 arriving Winchcombe station 12:23
• Time for lunch in our Coffeepot coffee shop in the station
• Castleways bus departs outside Harvest Home pub - a 5 minute walk from the station -  at 13:30 arriving Toddington roundabout next to the station at 13:40
• Diesel rail car departs Toddington Station 14:00 returning 14:45
• Castleways bus departs Toddington bus shelter Tewkesbury Road - five minutes from station 15:15 arriving at Harvest Home Winchcombe 15:22
• Steam train departs Winchcombe Station 16:05 arriving Cheltenham Race Course station 16:28

Route 2 - using Toddington as your base and commencing your travel at 10:30 

• Toddington Station - diesel rail car departs 10:30 arriving back at 11:15
• Time for a morning coffee at the Flag and Whistle tea room or a visit to the garden centre adjacent to the station
• Castleways bus departs Toddington bus shelter Tewesbury Road five minutes from the station 12:05 arriving at the Harvest Home Winchcombe at 12:10
• Time for a light lunch at the Coffeepot coffeeshop in the station
• Steam train departs Winchcombe at 13:00 (or 14:35) arriving Cheltenham Race Course station 13:23 (or 14:58)
• Return to Winchcombe aboard the 13:45 (or 15:25) steam train arriving Winchcombe 14:08 (or 15:48)
• n.b. If you catch the earlier train, you will have time to take a further trip back to Cheltenham Race Course before catching your bus. Your train ticket allows for unlimited travel on the day.Afternoon tea at the Coffeepot then catch the Castleways bus at 16:45 from the Harvest Home arriving at Toddington at 16:52.

The train times are based on our standard timetable and the bus times are based on information from Castleways services. Please confirm times with them on 01242 602949 before travelling.