RAILWAYMEN who worked in the city when it was a major locomotive hub have celebrated their 10th reunion this weekend.

The so-called '85A Railwaymen', named after the code of the city's locomotive maintenance shed, met in Barbourne Ex-Servicemen's Club on Saturday, October 28.

Visitors learnt about the history of steam engines in Worcestershire at the event, which was organised by the Worcester Locomotive Society.

Chris Wilkinson, aged 70, the society's meetings organiser, said: "We have been running these reunions for 10 years. This is the 10th consecutive one.

"This is the most [attendees] we have had. There's maybe 120 railwaymen who belonged to the steam days.

"They worked in the 1960s and got made redundant and went into other occupations and then lost touch. But it's always in the blood.

"Worcester was a massive railway centre. 85A was the shed code of Worcester Shrub Hill. The shed was where the steam engines were serviced.

"Steam finished in 1967 and there wasn't the need for the infrastructure."

Mike King, aged 66, the society's chairman, encouraged the latest generation of railway workers to attend future events.

He said: "We all share a common railway bond. These people would have worked together for 30 years - some of them.

"We are all railway enthusiasts."

The society held a raffle and sold books at the event in a bid to raise funds to restore the two steam engines owned by the group.

Historian Michael Clemens showed archive clips of steam engines in Worcestershire at the event.

Reverend David Hardy, from Bristol, also attended the reunion and discussed his experiences as a railway chaplain.