Rail enthusiasts rolled back the years at an event at Didcot Railway Centre to celebrated its golden anniversary.

Thousands of people came to the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway Gala, marking the 50th anniversary of the closure of the line that used to run from Oxfordshire to the south coast.

Centre operations manager Roger Orchard said: “It’s been a successful weekend with lots of happy visitors.”

As well as the engines usually on display, a different style of steam engine which used to run along the now defunct line was brought in for the occasion.

Mr Orchard said: “We are trying to recreate a little bit of what the line used to be like. There’s a lot of railway enthusiasts who are very noticeable with all their long lenses but quite a lot of families who, irrespective of what we are doing, love to come and see the old steam engines and ride in comfortable vintage railway carriages.”

The event concludes today between 10am and 5pm.