TWO West Somerset Railway (WSR) events are being organised in April for children to spend a day learning all about steam trains.

The ‘young engineers days’ are part of the WSR’s celebrations for Railway 200, which marks 200 years since the birth of modern railways.

Chris Vine, author of the ‘Peter’s Railway’ books, will join staff and volunteers from the WSR and West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust on both days to work with the youngsters.

Both events, on April 9 and 10, are aimed at youngsters aged from five to 15 years and are dedicated to engineering on heritage railways.

A spokesperson said: “The day will take a deep dive into the mechanics and some operational factors of the West Somerset Railway.”

Each day will start at 10.30am in the Gauge Museum at Bishops Lydeard Station and will include travel to Minehead and back, a signal box tour, a turntable demonstration, and an opportunity to look around the railway’s ‘rarely open to the public’ Minehead Shed.

Included in the price of tickets, which can be purchased from the WSR website, will be a hardback copy of one of Mr Vine’s ‘Peter’s Railway’ books.

Each youngster will have to be accompanied by an adult for safety reasons, and they will need to take a packed lunch with them as the days do not include catering.

The spokesperson said: “We do have a café at Bishops Lydeard and Minehead stations and we also have a buffet car on board the train where refreshments can be purchased.”

The West Somerset Railway is Britain’s longest heritage line, stretching 20 miles from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard, and has 10 stations.

It will be holding its annual spring steam gala from May 2 to 5 when it will host a number of visiting steam locomotives.