THE age of steam returned in spectacular fashion as a stunning train travelled through Worcestershire on Saturday.

West Country Class Pacific engine number 34046 Braunton passed through Worcester, Malvern, Evesham, Ledbury and the Cotswolds during a scenic trip around the Welsh Borders.

The train, which is operated by the Railway Touring Company, will left Bristol Temple Meads station at about 7.10am, passing though Gloucester and along the Golden Valley Line before travelling through the Cotswold Hills.

The 67-foot, 91-ton locomotive then took the Great Western Main Line towards Oxford before joining the Cotswold Line through Charlbury, Kingham and Moreton-in-Marsh.

Passing through Evesham at about 1.30pm, the train arrived at the platform of Worcester Shrub Hill station at about 1.50pm, where passengers had about two and half hours to enjoy the sights of the Faithful City.

The engine pulled away from Worcester at about 4.30pm to continue its route through Malvern, Ledbury and Hereford before crossing the border into Wales and stopping at the Severn Tunnel Junction for Gloucester passengers to depart.

Number 34046 Braunton was built in 1946 in Brighton and was withdrawn from service in late 1965 after accumulating 779,210 miles.

After lying untouched for decades, the locomotive – which has a maximum speed of 75 mph – began carrying passengers again last August.