The Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway was a broad gauge railway that linked the Great Western Railway at Swindon, Wiltshire, with Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. Great Western Railway broad gauge steam locomotives awaiting scrapping in 1892 after the conversion to standard gauge. ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... Swindon is a town in Wiltshire in the South West of England. ... Wiltshire (abbreviated Wilts) is a large southern English county. ... Shown within Gloucestershire Geography Status: Borough Region: South West England Admin. ... Gloucestershire (pronounced ; GLOSS-ter-sher) is a county in South West England. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ...

The line between Cheltenham and Gloucester was worked jointly with the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway; that between Gloucester and Standish Junction was worked jointly with the Bristol and Gloucester Railway. Both these railways became part of the Midland Railway and caused Isambard Kingdom Brunel to lay down mixed gauge tracks along this section of line before any of his other broad gauge railways. Despite this joint working, the stations were generally independent with the individual railways providing duplicate facilities at Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stonehouse. Shown within Gloucestershire Geography Status: City (1541) Region: South West England Admin. ... 5593 Kolhapur climbing Lickey Incline (painting by Terence Cuneo) The Birmingham and Gloucester Railway is a railway route linking Birmingham to Gloucester in England. ... Standish is a placename. ... The Bristol and Gloucester Railway opened in 1844 between Bristol and Gloucester, meeting the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway. ... The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom, which existed from 1844 to 1922. ... Brunel before the launching of the Great Eastern. ... Sunlight reflects off dual-gauge tracks near Chur, Switzerland Mixed-gauge track and pointwork (1435 mm and 1067 mm) at Odawara in Japan Dual-gauge or mixed-gauge railway is a special configuration of railway track, allowing trains of different gauges to use the same alignment. ...

Chronology

• 1836 Authorised by Act of Parliament
• 1840 Railway opened from Cheltenham to Gloucester
• 1841 Railway opened from Swindon to Cirencester
• 1843 Railway company sold to Great Western Railway
• 1845 Railway opened from Kemble to Gloucester leaving Cirencester on a short branch
• 1847 Independent station opened at Cheltenham

In Westminster System parliaments, an Act of Parliament is a part of the law passed by the Parliament. ... Cirencester is a market town in Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles (150 km) west northwest of London. ... Kemble is a village in Gloucestershire, England a family of actors; see Kemble (family) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Stations

Includes stations opened by the Great Western Railway

• Swindon (Great Western Railway)
• Purton
• Minety and Ashton Keynes
• Kemble
  • Cirencester (1841)
• Tetbury Road (1845)
• Chalford (1897)
• St Mary's Crossing Halt
• Brinscombe (1845)
• Brinscombe Bridge Halt
• Ham Mill Crossing Halt
• Bowbridge Crossing Halt
• Stroud (1845)
• Downfield Crossing Halt
• Ebley Crossing Halt
• Stonehouse (1845)
• Gloucester (1840)
• Cheltenham Lansdown Road (1840 - 1847, joint with Birmingham and Gloucester Railway)
• Cheltenham Malvern Road
• Cheltenham St James (1847)

Swindon railway station is a railway station serving the town of Swindon in Wiltshire in England. ... Kemble railway station is a railway station that serves the village of Kemble in Gloucestershire. ... Stroud railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Stroud in Gloucestershire. ... Stonehouse railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Stonehouse in Gloucestershire. ... Gloucester railway station (formerly known as Gloucester Central station) serves the city of Gloucester. ... Cheltenham Spa railway station is a railway station serving the Cotswold town of Cheltenham Spa. ...

References

• Fenton, Mike (1985). "The Brinscombe Bankers". British Railway Journal (GWR Special Edition): 64 - 83. 
• MacDermot, E T (1927). History of the Great Western Railway, volume I 1833-1863. London: Great Western Railway.