HUNDREDS of people gathered at the trackside and on Lydney station on Monday afternoon to watch Merchant Navy Class steam locomotive No 35028 Clan Line halt on her way to Cardiff with a special excursion train.

Some of her passengers took the opportunity to get off at Lydney for a trip along Dean Forest Railway's track to Parkend, where they were picked up for a coach tour of the Wye Valley and Tintern Abbey before catching the evening return trip on Clan Line's train.

The gleaming Clan Line was built in 1948 and spent most of its career hauling prestige express trains in the South of England.