Broadway was first a very active stagecoach stop on the way from Worcester to London. It was the home to many famous artists and writers through the years including Elgar, JM Barrie and William Morris. In 2004 a great deal of remnants were discovered from the Roman and Medieval times. This takes the towns history back 5,000 more years than previously known and may prove it to be one of the first settled areas in the UK. It was believed that the area was a meeting point for hunter gatherers.
Broadway is not an arts and antique centra. Tourism is a vital part of the town's economy. Because of this the town has many hotels which include the Broadway Hotel as well as the Barcelo Lygon Arms Hotel. Also a multitude of other lodging accommodations, pubs and restaurants to choose from. There are also many shops, galleries and tea rooms to visit. Sir Gordon Russell MC's 20th Century furniture works are on display at the Gordon Russell Museum.
Broadway built their railways later into the development of the Britain's railway history in the early 1900s. During that time the Great Western Railway was put in and ran from Stratford-upon-Avon through Cheltenham. It was part of the main line that came from Birmingham and went to the South West and South Wales. In 1960 the Broadway rail station, among many others, was officially closed. The railways stopped transporting passengers in 1968 and all freight by 1976 due to a derailment that lead to serious damage to the Broadway Railway. The railway was taken apart in the early 1980s.
A section that runs from Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse was rebuilt and opened to pay tribute to the railway and was named Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. The stretch of track is being built to the north to allow Broadway to be the northern terminal of the railway but the Broadway station remains are not left so they will have to be built from scratch at some point. Stratford-on-Avon has joined forces with the Broadway Railway Society with a united goal of reopening the most north section of the railway that goes from Stratford to Broadway. This is an long term, on going project that presently has the society focusing on the small section from Long Marston to Honeybourne.
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