Visitors to Gloucester Station can now step back in time thanks to a stunning new model railway diorama installed in the station waiting room.
The detailed display, unveiled by the Mayor of Gloucester, recreates Gloucester station across multiple eras, spanning from the steam locomotive age of the 1880s through to the present day, celebrating 200 years of the railway.
Funded by a £1,000 grant from Great Western Railway’s Customer and Community Improvement Fund, the project took 12 people one year to complete and showcases an extraordinary level of craftsmanship and historical detail.
Visitors to the station can view miniature scenes of everyday life at the station with intricate details including customers, hand-painted signs, milk pails from the days of the dairy trains and even a roaming cat, all of which bring the station to life. A cleverly-placed mirror creates the illusion of a continuous stretch of track that travels through time, linking past and present.
GWR’s Customer and Community Improvement Fund, supports local communities and addresses areas of social need through projects which have a connection to the railway.
As part of their National Rail Contract with the Department for Transport, the train operator is committed to supporting schools, colleges, councils, communities and other not-for-profit organisations by aiding a number of initiatives.
The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Gloucester, Councillor Ashley Bowkett, said:“I am delighted to unveil this historical model railway display at Gloucester Railway Station. It is a fine example of what can be achieved when organisations such as GWR work in partnership with local community groups like the Gloucester Model Railway Club.
“Supported by the 2025–26 Community Connectivity Improvement Fund, this project celebrates the heritage of Gloucester Station while also recognising the club’s wider social value in bringing people together, supporting mental wellbeing, and fostering friendship and inclusion among members of all ages.”