IT WAS a nostalgic day yesterday for Phil Marsh as he took passengers along the preserved railway line between Chinnor and Wainhill.

He was the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway’s first passenger 20 years ago.

To celebrate the heritage steam railway’s Silver Jubilee, passengers took the 45-minute round trip on a train powered by Great Western Railway pannier tank locomotive No 1369, which was filled with water by fireman Mr Marsh.

The 59-year-old said: “Both days were very special. It was a bit different, because 20 years ago I was a VIP passenger, not a fireman.

“There’s only ever one first train, so that was great, and today was just amazing because people really enjoyed it.”

Mr Marsh, from Milton Keynes, said: “It was very busy, we were very pleased to see a mid-week train so packed. We were almost astonished.”

Describing the 7.5-mile journey between Chinnor and Wainhill he said: “It’s a very, very steep trailway and we had red kites flying above us, which was brilliant.

"The wildlife around here is amazing. I thought I saw a deer on the line in front of us, but the driver said it was a hare.”

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