A FESTIVAL celebrating steam engines will be the biggest the Cotswolds has seen this May.

The theme for this years Cotswold Festival of Steam is 'give my regards to Broadway' which is set to attract railway stars.

Ian Crowder, spokesman for the railway talked of how he is expecting this year to be the biggest yet.

"This will be quite a show, not only does the event take in our brand new Broadway station, but it marks the 50th anniversary of the end of steam on British Railways," said Ian.

"We are delighted to have been able to attract four fantastic star performers of the railway world, three of which have never been to our line before so it’s going to be quite a show."

There will be a spectacular starring cast of visiting locomotives who will join the railway’s resident engines.

Taking centre stage is one of the Great Western Railway’s most powerful express locomotives, King, which hauled the heaviest expresses.

The action starts at 9am in Toddington while the first departures of the day are from Cheltenham Racecourse at 9.20am and from Broadway at 9.55am, a run of nearly 15 miles between the station.

There is unlimited free car parking at Cheltenham Racecourse station and entry is through the main entrance, there will be limited free car parking at Toddington station.

Car parking is not available at Broadway station, but visitors can park in the long-term car park by the village and either walk to the station or catch the red London Routemaster bus.

The Cotswold Festival of Steam will take place between May 26 and 28.

For full details visit gwsr.com