Prince to take control of SVR train

The Prince of Wales will be invited to take to the footplate and try his hand at driving a train during a visit to the Severn Valley Railway tomorrow.

He will take the controls of a 500-ton steam locomotive to inspect the work to restore the storm-ravaged railway between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth.

Charles is expected to drive a steam engine hauling the eight-carriage Royal train on the stretch of track between Bewdley and Arley under the supervision.

He will arrive in Worcester aboard the royal train – and carriages will then be transferred from the mainline track to the Severn Valley Railway at Kidderminster to await the Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall while they visit Upton-on-Severn and The Commandery Civil War museum at Worcester.

The Great Western Railway King class engine No 6024 King Edward I, will be waiting for Prince Charles and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall when they arrive at Kidderminster station by car.

And railway bosses have arranged a special weekend so that anyone wanting to ride in style like Royalty can do so four days later.

On Saturday and Sunday visitors will be able to see the two steam locomotives specially brought in for the Royal Train taking centre stage once again as stars of a the special weekend.

The engines, one known as the King, and the other as the Princess, will form the focus of the gala weekend.

The King, on loan from the railway museum at Didcote, Oxfordshire, will make two round trips on each day of the weekend, while the Princess will make three round journeys on the 16-mile Kidderminster to Bridgnorth steam heritage line – including a special private hire train on the Saturday evening.

John Leach, who is the SVR's marketing manager said today: "It will all add up to a sumptuous embellishment of the railway's regular timetable."