Hundreds of people lined platforms and footbridges to see the Britannia class train, Oliver Cromwell, stop at Petersfield, Havant, Cosham, Farlington and Fareham railway stations.

The train made its journey through the area in celebration of 150 years of rail travel on the line between Portsmouth and London via Guildford.

Special celebrations were held at Havant station, where a plaque was unveiled by Havant mayor John Smith to mark the so-called Battle of Havant – a famous dispute between two rail companies in 1847, which delayed the opening of the line for two years.

A large crowd – some wearing Victorian dress – stood squinting into the sun as they waited eagerly to see the locomotive.

There was also a brass band playing as the train pulled in at the station, bringing with it a huge cloud of steam.

For Richard Goodall, 62, the train brought back vivid memories.

'I used to ride a steam train every day on the way to school,' said Mr Goodall of Bedhampton Way, Havant.

'I would travel from Rowlands Castle to Southbourne every day, I was only about 11 years old at the time.

'I've brought my grandson here to show him a proper train,' he added.

Louise and Roger Wright took their three-year-old son Matthew to the station.

'He loves Thomas the Tank Engine. It's great to show him one of the trains in real life,' said Louise.

Havant MP David Willetts and Mayor Smith stood on the platform to greet the train.

Both were very much in the spirit of the occasion, wearing Victorian-style tailcoats and top hats.

Mr Willetts said: 'Since the line opened it has really shaped the area and rail transport remains one of the simplest and most environmentally friendly ways of getting from here to Portsmouth or London.'

Councillor Smith added: 'The railway line is a big part of Havant's history and we are proud to celebrate it.'


TRAIN LINES

Oliver Cromwell is a British Railways standard class 7, also known as the Britannia class.

She was built at Crewe Works, completed in 1951.

One of 55 in her class, her wheels measure over six foot in diameter and she is 68ft long.

She weighs 143 tons and can hold seven tons of coal and 4,250 gals water.

Initially she was allocated to Norwich depot, where she remained until 1963 before being transferred to Carlisle Kingmoor depot.

On August 11, 1968, she was selected to operate the Fifteen Guinea Special – the last main-line passenger train to be hauled by a steam locomotive on BR.

Oliver Cromwell is now owned by the National Railway Museum at York, and has been returned to operational condition and used many times.

>> Vote in our latest web poll.