Hundreds of rail enthusiasts turned out at Bridgnorth Station for the long-awaited reopening of the Severn Valley Railway.

The heritage line had been closed for eight months after large sections of the track were destroyed and washed away in last summer’s flash floods.

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On Saturday, 48 people were aboard the first five-carriage steam-engine train to make the journey from Bridgnorth to Hampton Loade at 10.30am.

Assistant station master Anthony Booth said everything went according to plan and the train pulled away on time, waved off by scores of people who had gathered to see the maiden journey.

Trains left the station every 80 minutes for the rest of the day and are due to continue all half-term week, with the last train leaving Bridgnorth at 5pm.

Mr Booth said: “It was a lovely day and for February we were very busy. I think the publicity about the reopening has got around and it’s certainly boosted the crowds.

“We are pleased with it all, It’s just super to get the train running again and all the volunteers who help to run it, including myself are back to work.”

After half-term week, the steam trains will run only at weekends of the Bridgnorth to Hampton Loade line until the whole line between Bridgnorth and Kidderminster re-opens at Easter.

More than 12 miles of the 16-mile track between Bridgnorth and Kidderminster was out of action following the floods, which caused more than £2.5 million damage. The railway’s closure hit the area’s tourism trade, with many pubs and businesses saying they suffered as a result of the enforced closure.