Britain’s Severn Valley Railway is conducting an eight-week trial with a local passenger operator to provide steam-powered commuter rail service. The arrangement is believed to be one of the first of its kind in the U.K., with main line rail ticket holders traveling over part of their journey on a heritage railway, hauled by heritage locomotives and operated by heritage railway staff.

The Severn Valley is a 16-mile heritage railway that has provided steam-powered excursion service since the 1960s. The commuter service test, which will sometimes be powered by historic diesels, will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The service will connect with national network trains at Birmingham Snow Hill. There will be two morning departures and two evening departures. The service is expected to last until the end of October.

“This is a hugely exciting opportunity for the Severn Valley Railway. Not only does it allow us to support an important regional transport initiative, but it also sees our railway fulfilling the purpose it was originally built for by carrying everyday passengers between Bewdley and Kidderminster,” said SVR Chief Executive Officer Gus Dunster.

—Justin Franz