FALLEN railway employees of two world wars were remembered at a moving ceremony at Toddington station on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway on Sunday.

Following an act of remembrance at Toddington, a steam locomotive that served during the First World War took participants to Cheltenham Racecourse to join armistice centenary celebrations there.

The event was attended by former troops of the Royal Gloucestershire Regiment under the direction of Regimental Sergeant-Major Keeling and Colonel Robert Dixon, along with representatives of the Royal Navy, and volunteers from the GWSR.

The colour party comprised Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Col Mike Bennett OBE, DL and GSWR senior inspector Warrant Officer Chris Sparks MBE, with the flag borne by Ms Alex Hayes, of the railway.

A poppy wreath was laid by Mrs Jenny Mead, wife of the late Rev John Mead, a long-time t railway volunteer and former Rector of St Michael’s, Bishops Cleeve. She also unveiled a plaque dedicated to the memory of all those on the railway who gave their lives in the First World War and all subsequent conflicts.

The act of remembrance was conducted by Rev David Hall, another railway a volunteer, with music from Cheltenham Silver Training Band.

Organiser Chris Blake said: "The day was perfect in every way. The sun shone as the troops assembled on platform two, while volunteers and guests joined in the service from platform one.

“Then at the end of the service, locomotive 2807 steamed in to the station from the Broadway direction, bearing a huge poppy on the smokebox. It was an extremely moving way to remember the huge contribution that the nation's railways made to both World Wars and to reflect on the lives of railway servants who lost their lives.”

The engine hauling the special train pulled coal trains from South Wales to the Royal Navy Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow over the route now operated by the GWSR.

Railway chairman Richard Johnson said: “This was an extremely moving ceremony and all of the railway’s volunteers should feel proud of the part their railway has played in marking the centenary of the armistice."