The Flying Scotsman, a catastrophic landslip, Herculean repair efforts and a 60th anniversary: Just 12 months at the Severn Valley Railway
Recent years have been packed with challenges for the Severn Valley Railway - but 2025 offered ups and downs like never before.
The hugely popular heritage railway, which operates between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth, opened the year with excitement as volunteers, staff, and supporters all looked forward to celebrating 60 years of the organisation.
Coupled with a packed programme of events and being part of the national celebrations marking 200 years of the railways, there was a lot to get excited about.
But all that optimism was brought to a shuddering stop just 29 days into the new year, when an embankment collapsed on the line between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade.
The collapse led to a landslip underneath the railway line, leaving a section of track suspended in mid air.
What followed is a stunning story of endeavour, co-operation, support, and love for the railway, with repairs incredibly completed in just six months - celebrated by a special guest appearance from the world's most famous train, the Flying Scotsman, for its reopening.
The Severn Valley Railway's (SVR) managing director Jonathan 'Gus' Dunster said there was no doubt it had been a year of ups and downs.
He said: "The best way of describing 2025 for us? It has been a real rollercoaster. We started off heading into our 60th anniversary year with a lot of positive energy, looking forward to celebrating - and celebrating the national 200-year anniversary of the railways.
"So we started with a lot of optimism and then on January 29 the embankment collapsed and that really changed the direction of what we were doing and that became all-consuming - getting the railway repaired.
"So while we were still able to operate, all our energy really went into getting the railway repaired, which we were able to do successfully in six months which a lot of commentators thought was remarkable.
"So we were really pleased to re-open in time for the school holidays on July 25 and not just do that, but to have a visit from the Flying Scotsman, which by anyone's measure is the world's most famous locomotive."
