Train enthusiasts in Shrewsbury were left disappointed today after a steam engine broke down and failed to make it to the town.

The Great Western 5029 Nunney Castle steamed into Ludlow Railway Station at about midday today much to the delight of onlookers, but was unable to continue the journey to the county town.

Chris Brisbourne, 44, of Ditherington, had been waiting at the county town station for more than an hour when it was announced it would not be arriving.

He said: “I have always been interested in steam trains and I wanted to come down and see it today.

“My dad used to be a steam train driver and I think my first time on the foothole was when I was three years old in 1967. He was on the Clun Castle.”

Another enthusiast had travelled down from Manchester to see the train.

He said: “Shrewsbury is a good place to be because there is the old signal box and the old signals, it is very photogenic.”

The train was built at Swindon Works and was used to transport evacuees during World War Two.

It travelled into the county as part of the Past-Time Rail tours, and allowed passengers to jump off and sample Ludlow Christmas Medieval Fayre.

The steam engine was used to haul the Royal Train in October 1957 from Paddington to Gloucester. It was withdrawn, along with other members of its class, in December 1963.