CELEBRATIONS to mark the 125th anniversary of the first passenger train to use the Severn Tunnel will be held on September 3 in Sudbrook, the village built to dig the tunnel.

The vast majority of the 160 houses in the village were originally built for tunnel workers on the orders of tunnel engineer, Thomas Walker, after work began in 1873.

The tunnel, built directly under Sudbrook, was to become the longest rail tunnel in the UK at over four miles long. This despite floods caused by the discovery of the Great Spring, some of the water from which is now pumped from Sudbrook Pumping Station to the Anheuser-Bush brewery in Magor for the production of Stella Artois and Boddingtons.

The celebrations will be at Sudbrook History Centre in the Sudbrook Non-Political Club and will feature a talk by John Harvey, great grandson of Thomas Walker. Severn Tunnel Band will be playing and there will be a model railway display, family history roadshow and a chance to see a lavenet fisherman's house at Black Rock, Portskewett.

To find out more contact historian Peter Strong on 01291 425638.