THIS fine example of British engineering was one of the last trains through the Severn Tunnel on the weekend before the Victorian marvel closed for six weeks to allow for electrification works.

Former London Midland and Scottish engine 6201, Princess Elizabeth, powered through Severn Tunnel Junction en-route to Shrewsbury from London Paddington at lunch-time on Saturday and made the return journey that night.

A good number of enthusiasts were at the station to see the only surviving member of the Princess Royal class.

The tunnel will be closed until Friday, October 21 to upgrade it in preparation for a fleet of electric trains that will run between London and south Wales.

Trains between Severn Tunnel and Bristol are being replaced by buses but London services and freight operations are being diverted via Chepstow and Lydney.

Motorists and pedestrians along the Severnside route have been warned that barriers will be lowered more often and have been advised to allow extra time for their journeys.

GWR development manager, Wales, Mark Youngman, said: “We have been working closely with Network Rail and local authorities in Wales and along the route to make sure that we keep customers on trains wherever possible and provide the quickest, most convenient journey to their destination, minimising disruption as best we can.”

The scale of the engineering challenge and the extensive amount of machinery required to complete the essential upgrade work of the four-mile long tunnel means that the closure is unavoidable.

Network Rail’s area director for Wales, Dan Tipper said: “Without a solid six-week closure, it would take engineers up to five years to complete the upgrade, causing long-term disruption for passengers and delaying electrification of the railway until 2021.”