On St. George’s Day, 23 April, the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) will celebrate the start of the British Asparagus Festival with The Asparagus Express from Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse.

The celebration by the railway is appropriate, as most of Britain’s asparagus is grown just a few miles from the railway’s headquarters at Toddington.

The day’s festivities start at 9.30 when a collection of Morgans and other classic cars will gather at the Fleece Inn at Bretforton in Worcestershire, to enjoy Morris dancing, Gus the Asparagus Man and the legendary St. George.

At 11.35, The Asparagus Express steam train will transport the first 100-round of Vale Asparagus from Broadway, just 6 miles from Bretforton, to Cheltenham Racecourse.

During the journey, Gus and St George will parade the asparagus through the train before returning at from Cheltenham Racecourse at 12:55 pm, arriving back at Broadway an hour later.

The Asparagus Express marks the start of two months of The British Asparagus Festival celebrations dedicated to everything asparagus.

The last time the event was held at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway was in 2018.

In previous years, The British Asparagus Festival has also visited a number of notable destinations including Buckingham Palace, Worcester Cathedral, the European Parliament in Brussels, and the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

This year’s first 100 asparagus spears will be donated to the Cheltenham-based charity National Star, where students will use it in delicious dishes to be served at the charity’s StarBistro.

Two more refreshment facilities, ‘The Cotswold Halt’ and ‘The Halt Bar’ have recently opened at Toddington to keep visitors refreshed during their time on the railway.

Tickets for a return journey from Broadway to Cheltenham on The Asparagus Express are now available, with a 5% discount for advance bookings via the railway’s website at www.gwsr.com.

Further information about The British Asparagus Festival can be found by clicking here.

The GWSR is thrilled to be involved in this fantastic event, celebrating the beautiful asparagus our region grows – it is great to be involved in the transportation of this on our fantastic locomotive and supporting National Star is an added bonus.

In the past, asparagus was transported to market over our railway from the Vale of Evesham so we are turning the clock back.

Catherine Johnson, Marketing Manager of the GWSR

Preparing young people with disabilities for adulthood is what National Star is all about. An important part of that preparation is learning about healthy eating, understanding the importance of local seasonal food and of course how to prepare balanced and tasty meals.

We are thrilled that the British Asparagus Festival has chosen StarBistro at National Star as the final home for the first hundred-round of Vale Asparagus. National Star students will be at the ready to transform the asparagus into delicious soup and then enjoy their efforts!

National Star Chief Executive Lynette Barrett