Cotswold Chatterblog

Saturday 19th April and Sunday 20th April at Toddington Station on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
Paddington Bear* visits the Gloucester Warwickshire Railway for the first time this coming weekend. Amazingly, this little bear has been enchanting youngsters for half a century and he’s coming to Toddington to celebrate his 50th birthday.

There will be lots going on at the GWR over the weekend with fun and games to enjoy and lots of chances to meet Paddington himself. An enhanced train service will be running throughout the weekend and normal fares apply.
“Daily Express” Kids Go Free vouchers will also be accepted.

Paddington Bear* originally came from darkest Peru and how he found himself at Paddington Station in London is the stuff of the best adventure stories. The station is the former Great Western Railway’s terminus and there he was spotted by Mr and Mrs Brown. A little bear with with a duffle coat and hat, sitting on his battered suitcase, all alone, with a label that simply said “Please look after this bear. Thank you.”
So that is how he got his name and went on to become one of the world’s most famous bears.

Punch & Judy, Magic shows, Bouncy Castle, the GWR’s narrow-gauge North Gloucestershire Railway and rides on a historic Routemaster double-decker bus are all on the menu. As well, or course, as Paddington Bear’s* favourite marmalade sandwiches.

The very first Paddington book “A Bear Called Paddington” was published on 13th October 1958 by William Collins & Sons. Author Michael Bond said “I bought a small toy bear on Christmas Eve 1956. I saw it left on a shelf in a London store and felt sorry for it. I took it home as a present for my wife and named it Paddington as we were living near Paddington Station at the time. I wrote some stories about the bear, more for fun than with the idea of having them published and found I had a book on my hands.”
The Paddington books have sold more than thirty five million copies worldwide and have been translated into over forty languages.  

Trains run from Toddington Station from 10.30 and from Cheltenham Racecourse Station from 11.25.
Fares: Adult £10.00 Senior Citizen £8.50 Children (5-15) £6.00 Family Ticket £27.00 (2 adults and up to 3 children)     

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway plc
The Railway Station,
Toddington,
Gloucestershire,
GL54 5DT

Telephone: 01242 621405
www.gwsr.com

Source: Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway and Paddington Bear*

*Paddington Bear tm Copyright Paddington & Company Ltd 2008. Licensed by Copyrights Group

Tags: animals | author | cheltenham | gloucestershire | railways | toddington | warwickshire

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