Steam will return to a stretch of railway track near Oswestry next week after a gap of more than 40 years.

The Oswestry to Welshpool line was closed in the rail cuts of 42 years ago.

But for the forthcoming Bank Holiday Weekend, passenger steam trains will run at Llynclys for the first time since the axe fell.

And visitors travelling on the mile of restored railway will be able to travel to Llynclys in style – on an old, London double decker bus.

The event is being run by the Cambrian Railway Trust, which has been running diesel trains on the line all summer.

Eventually the trust hopes to run trains from Llynclys, via Oswestry to Gobowen.

But its plans are having to be put on hold while Shropshire County Council negotiations to buy the land from Network Rail, continue.

The trust had hoped to hear news about the sale in June. But the county council said this week the matter was still in the hands of its solicitors.

Meanwhile, the steam events will take place over the bank holiday weekend, August 24 to 27 and August 31 to September 2.

Spokesman, David Greig, said the first steam hauled passenger service will leave Llynclys south station at 10.30am on Friday and then every half hour.

“The steam trains will be supplemented by a special additional service provided by a Class 03 diesel propelling a newly restored GWR Brake Van.

“There will also be opportunities for visitors to drive the diesel shunting locomotive,” he said.

Tickets for the event will be on sale at the gate or from (01691) 831569.