Swindon Railway Festival 2009

Join in the biggest and best Great Western railway festival

 

Water' fan: Pete Waterman has been to every Swindon Railway Festival since they started in 2003

Pop music guru Pete Waterman, will be sharing the limelight with a new Hornby Swindon Castle Class model at this year’s Swindon Railway Festival.

 

The festival, in its eighth year, takes place at STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway, Kemble Drive, on 12 and 13 September, between 10am and 5pm.

 

Pete will be returning to the festival with his own model railway stand, but the launch of the new Hornby model is sure to create a stir with local railway enthusiasts.

 

The Castle Class Swindon 7037 has been produced by Hornby to celebrate next year’s 175th anniversary of the Great Western Railway. The Castle Class, designed by Charles Collett, became the GWR’s most successful express passenger locomotive and was built almost continually for more than a quarter of a century.

 

The last of the Castles to be built was No. 7037, Swindon. Although built unnamed in August 1950 it was named ‘Swindon’ in a ceremony by the then Princess Elizabeth – now the Queen. Hornby are producing 1,000 Castle Class Swindon models exclusive to STEAM priced at £129.99 and each will come in a presentation box and a souvenir guidebook written by Pete Waterman.

 

Full details of how to buy one of the models will be available at the railway festival.

 

Big attraction: model displays are a major part of the Swindon Railway Festival

 

Now one of Swindon’s biggest annual events, the festival is also a showcase for some of the biggest and best Great Western model railway layouts in the country.

 

Other attractions include massive Hornby and Bachmann roadshows, traction engines, gauge shunting demonstrations, a GWR Railmotor display and trade stands galore.

 

Admission prices are: Adults: £8.00; concessions: £5.50; Family tickets £24.00 ((2 adults and 2 children) or : £27.00 (2 adults and 3 children). Under 3s go free. Swindoncard discounts are available and there is free parking at the Outlet Centre car parks.