Full steam ahead for Severn Valley Railway's anniversary

Trains will run throughout the night during a three-day steam gala celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Severn Valley Railway.

More than 60 hours of activities have been organised from the start of the event at 7.30am on Friday to the final train whistle at 6pm on Sunday.

More than 350 train journeys will be made during the weekend with passenger trains set to run through the night at 90 minute intervals.

More than 5,000 visitors are expected over the three days.

The number of trains operating on the route will be comparable to a busy summer weekend on one of Britain's main lines in the 1950s. Five extra locomotives have been brought in from other lines in the UK for the event. It will be a homecoming for one steam engine which worked the SVR's first public passenger trains during the attraction's infancy in 1970.

The Great Western Railway 2251 class 0-6-0 No 3205 will return from its present home at the South Devon Railway at Buckfastleigh to the Severn Valley after 25 years.

It will replicate some of its first duties on the SVR by working a series of three-coach Bridgnorth to Highley shuttle trains and trains between Kidderminster and Arley.

Fittingly in the 70th anniversary year of the Battle of Britain, the streamlined 4-6-2 locomotive will also be visiting.

The train, called the Manston, is one of the Battle of Britain class and was the last steam locomotive to be built by the Southern Railway in 1947. It is now housed at the Swanage Railway in Dorset.

A Great Western Railway City-class engine called the City of Truro, which claimed the world's first 100mph record by any steam locomotive will also be attendance.

One of the highlights of the gala will be when the City of Truro and the 3205 will be coupled together to double head the 2.20pm train from Kidderminster to Bewdley.

Events will also be held at the Engine House Visitor Centre on Friday at 10am and at the railway's Hampton Loade station on Sunday at 3pm.

Both of the railway's miniature lines at Hampton Loade and Kidderminster Railway Museum will also be in operation throughout the event.