As we previewed last month, the iconic steam locomotive No. 60103 ‘Flying Scotsman’ hauled the first passenger service across the Severn Valley Railway’s Mor Brook bridge since its repair.

The journey marked the first time that a train has been able to run along the reunited heritage railway line during this operating season.

The Flying Scotsman left Kidderminster Town station at 9 am this morning, and carried 350 passengers along 16.5 miles of Worcestershire and Shropshire countryside. It was welcomed by enthusiastic crowds at Bridgnorth station shortly after 10am.

Severn Valley Railway (SVR) managing director Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster spoke at a short ceremony at Bridgnorth, and paid tribute to the many people who had worked hard to complete the repair of the embankment at Mor Brook bridge.

He also thanked the people who had donated money to help the SVR pay for costs associated with the repair that had not been covered by its insurance.

The SVR’s northern terminus at Bridgnorth has been cut off from the rest of the line since the landslip and embankment collapse happened at the end of January, and volunteers at the station are delighted to be once again connected to the rest of the line.

Mor Brook bridge was damaged in a landslip on 29 January as a result of extreme weather and flooding. The landslip cut the railway in two, and left track hanging in mid-air.

Once SVR’s insurer had given the go-ahead, contractors began repair work in early June. They finished the main structural works earlier this month, and are still on site completing the final landscaping and cosmetic tasks.

During the hot summer weather, there is a high risk of lineside fires, so a Class 20 diesel locomotive provided assistance to ‘Flying Scotsman’, so that it did not have to work too hard and produce sparks that could ignite dry vegetation alongside the line.

Flying Scotsman hauled three round trips today. It will also take part in the SVR’s Swinging Sixties event this weekend (26 and 27 July), hauling three return journeys on each day. On Monday 28 July, it will haul the last three return trips of its stay at the SVR.

Tickets to travel behind ‘Flying Scotsman’ are sold out, but tickets for the Swinging Sixties event are still available at svr.co.uk. Visitors will have several opportunities to see the locomotive during the event.

“Everyone here has been waiting for this day, and it’s marvellous to welcome our first full-line train this season. During the long months of isolation we’ve worked hard to keep people coming here and carried out a lot of maintenance and improvement work to keep the station looking good. Our pub the Railwayman’s Arms has been open throughout, and at weekends we’ve been putting on footplate and cab rides for visitors and manning the refreshment rooms and shop on a voluntary basis. But of course, nothing beats a fully joined up railway, and that’s what we’re celebrating today.”

Bridgnorth station master, Chris Thomas