THE Severn Valley Railway has announced it will reintroduce overnight services at its Autumn Steam Gala.

One train will operate multiple return trips along the 16-mile line on the Friday and Saturday nights of the event, which takes place between September 14 to 17.

SVR managing director Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster said: “Overnight running at steam galas has long been something the SVR is renowned for.”

“We paused it for a few years because of the pandemic, but now the time is right to bring it back.

“We’ve already had two extremely successful enthusiast events this year, and it’s clear that this sector of the market is buoyant.

“Why is it so popular? Well, quite simply a night-time railway in operation has a unique atmosphere, both on board the train and in the stations. Steam locomotives in particular add something indefinable to the mix. You don’t often get the opportunity to see a heritage railway operating under cover of darkness, and we know this will be a huge draw.”

Travel on the overnight services will be included in the day ticket price, although passengers will need to have tickets for two consecutive days to cover their full overnight travel.

The Autumn Steam Gala was originally planned as a three-day event, but the success of the spring event has led to the inclusion of an extra preview day on Thursday September, 14, which will include at least three steam-hauled services.