Expert visits flood-hit railway

Damage caused by June's landslide at the Severn Valley Railway

A leading civil engineer is visiting the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) tourist attraction to see how the line has been devastated by flooding.

Professor Quentin Leiper is touring some of the worst-hit sections of the line, three quarters of which has been closed since mid-June.

Mr Leiper, president of the Institution of Civil Engineers, is also studying ways of rebuilding the line.

It is expected to cost at least £2.5m to fully restore the SVR.

Services continued

The civil engineer is being shown photographs of some of the 45 "incident sites" at which the 16-mile line was hit by bad weather in June and July.

Speaking before the visit, SVR general manager, Nick Ralls, said: "We hope we may be able to pull on his technical expertise, and use his influence to help us with our recovery."

Daily steam-hauled services have continued on the unaffected southern section of the railway between Kidderminster and Bewdley, Worcestershire.

But, the remaining section from Bewdley to Bridgnorth, Shropshire is closed.

But passenger numbers are currently only a quarter of "normal" levels, the SVR said.