THE occasion of a 'new' carriage arriving by road from Lancashire on Monday was to have been a text-book drop off at the Old Station, Tintern, but things didn't quite go to plan.

Arriving along the A466 from Chepstow, the turn into the station approach proved just a little too tricky for the heavy truck and its 62ft load.

Heads were scratched while traffic built up in both directions. However, the problem was eventually solved by driving on to Llandogo and turning there, much to the amusement of local schoolchildren, says the Wye Valley attraction's manager John Sterry.

"From this direction the truck could overshoot and back in," said Mr Sterry, who has lost two out of three carriages which were already at the station, one for scrap and the other to a Somerset steam railway. In return he has this carriage and another one arriving later this week, both of which will have to be refurbished for visitor use.

Replacement of the rolling stock – which will be stationary, of course – is backed by the Wye Valley AONB's Overlooking the Wye project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The Old Station is open for visitors at weekends through the winter season and it is hoped the carriages will be ready for the busy summer season ahead.