Train fan lottery winner wants to buy own locomotive

Neil Leighton said he was confident trains would feature in his future after his £1m win

A £1m win on the National Lottery has brought a steam-train enthusiast a step closer to a dream of buying his own locomotive.

Neil Leighton, 24, from Hereford, said owning a house was top of his to-do list but he was confident trains would feature in his future now that he was a millionaire.

“If someone had told me two weeks ago I would be in a position to own a steam-train I’d have laughed," Mr Leighton said.

"But then if someone had told me I’d be a millionaire I’d also have laughed."

Mr Leighton said he had been fascinated with steam-trains since he was three years old

"Ever since my grandad took me to see my first steam-train when I was three, I have been fascinated.

“It started with Thomas the Tank Engine and to be honest, I never grew out of it.”

Mr Leighton writes and films his own Thomas the Tank Engine-themed content for YouTube.

He won the top prize on a National Lottery game while he chatted online with fellow train enthusiasts.

The 24-year-old celebrated his win at the Talyllyn Railway in north-west Wales.

Mr Leighton said a house was top of his to-do list and he wanted to treat family and friends after his win

Whilst buying his own home was top of his list, Mr Leighton said he wanted it to have a dedicated train room as well as a space for filming and editing content.

He said he would also be treating his family with a few surprises in the run-up to Christmas and hoped to enjoy a holiday with friends in the new year.

Mr Leighton added he would also learn to drive and buy a car before he pursued his dream of owning a steam locomotive.