Thousands flock to see Flying Scotsman

With more than 15,000 travel tickets sold and an estimated 30,000 additional spectators over just a six-day period, organisers say the visit of the Flying Scotsman to the Severn Valley might have been the most successful event in the railway's 51-year history.

Sunny weather for days four and five of the heritage railway's six-day Pacific Power event brought families out in force to catch a glimpse of the nation's best-loved steam engine.

Staff and volunteers at the railway worked around the clock to ensure the safety of passengers and spectators along the length of the line. Events began when the SVR held a charity day last Wednesday followed by the Pacific Power event from Thursday, ending yesterday.

Clare Gibbard, marketing and communications manager for the Severn Valley Railway said: "The whole event has been an incredible feat of organisation by both the staff and incredible volunteers.

"Everyone here has worked so hard for so many months and the fact that the event has gone so smoothly, in spite of unprecedented visitor numbers, is testament to the team's meticulous planning, diligence and dedication. We're delighted we've brought so much joy to so many people these last few days and it has been worth the significant investment we made to bring Scotsman to the Severn Valley. We'd also like to thank the public for their support too."

The event saw two famous trains meet, the Flying Scotsman and Tornado.

Flying Scotsman was recently voted the world's most famous locomotive, and Tornado is the first new, mainline steam locomotive to be built in Britain since the 60s.

The SVR was one of the first heritage railways to welcome Flying Scotsman, which is now owned by the National Rail Museum in York, since its return to passenger service earlier this year.