TRAIN spotters had a real treat in the Staffordshire Moorlands with a grand display of steam trains.
This year's annual Steam Gala at Churnet Valley Railway featured an impressive line up of five steam locomotives plus an intensive passenger service featuring the 27- mile round trip from Kingsley and Froghall Station to Cauldon Lowe.
The locomotive line up included three visiting locomotives.
Also in service was the USA Transportation Corps S160 Number 6046 which has recently been fully restored at the Churnet Valley Railway's own workshops, and North Eastern Railways N7 Number 69621.
Visitors had the chance to see and hear steam locomotives working hard on gradients ranging from 1 in 40 to 1 in 61 on the eight-mile Moorland and City Railway's Cauldon Lowe branch.
As well as riding behind one of these magnificent locomotives visitors were given the chance to live out a childhood dream and drive one of the locomotives themselves in Cheddleton Station yard.
Train Enthusiasts were also able to photograph a Heritage Freight Train running along the Churnet Valley Railway's section of the line. The Locomotive Workshop and the Carriage Shed at Cheddleton were also open so that visitors could see the in-house restoration work taking place, and took guided tours.
