Ex-railwayman marks 100th birthday on new train

Former train driver Gordon Pritchard has been celebrating his 100th birthday by riding in the cab of a new Intercity Express.

The retired Great Western Railway (GWR) worker had a front seat view for a two-hour 90-mile journey between Swansea and Swindon.

Mr Pritchard started in the freight yards of Swansea but soon after his 20th birthday he joined the 190 Railway Operating Company Royal Engineers to serve during World War Two transporting soldiers, goods and artillery across Asia and Europe.

He returned to GWR after the war and regularly took the controls on Swansea services to London Paddington and later transported coal to Swansea Docks before retiring in May 1983.

Mr Pritchard put his long life down to "luck", adding he was "never a boozer".