Severn Valley Railway celebrates 50 years since restoration

Severn Valley Railway volunteers are raising money for a redevelopment of Bridgnorth station on the 50th anniversary of the first train to run on the restored line.

A £2.5m share offer has topped £1m in time to mark the arrival of locomotive No 3205 on the line, which runs between Shropshire and Worcestershire, on 25 March, 1967.

Initially the locomotive was driven a short distance from Bridgnorth to the Oldbury viaduct.

Thousands of people attended the three-day event in 1967 and it helped the railway hit a £25,000 target to enable locomotives to travel 6.5 miles (10.5km) to Hampton Loade.

Driver John Hill, who still volunteers, said: "The day was a real reward for all the hard work that had happened to prepare the station and track.

"When the engine rolled in, it really lifted everyone’s spirits and we really started to believe that we were going to get the railway back up and running."