Blaenavon Railway: Steam train from 1863 to visit Wales

The historic locomotive is marking its 160th anniversary

Britain's oldest working steam train is set to roll into an historic railway attraction.

Furness Railway No.20 will visit Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway in late May and early June.

It forms part of the heritage railway site's 40th anniversary celebrations.

The locomotive was originally built 160 years ago in 1863, and was one of a batch of eight engines made to operate the Furness Railway in north-west England.

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However, it quickly found itself obsolescent as traffic grew, and just seven years later it was sold to the Barrow Haematite Steel Company.

It operated there for 90 years and was then donated to a school, before being bought by enthusiasts determined to restore it to steam.

Following a Heritage Lottery Fund grant award of £97,000, it was given a heavy overhaul and returned to steam in December 1998, 135 years after its construction.

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