CROWDS gathered at Pembroke Dock railway station on Sunday (August 31) to witness an iconic locomotive steam into town.

Nunney Castle 5029 is a member of the Great Western Railway 4073 ‘Castle’ Class, designed by Charles Collett in the 1930s.

She was travelling into the county from Bristol as part of the Pembroke Coast Express Tour.

Built at the Swindon Works, she was one of a 171 strong class designed to haul the fastest of the GWRs express passenger services.

During the first day of the World War II evacuations, the locomotive hauled trains carrying children being taken from London to the safety of the countryside. Nunney Castle was also used to haul the Royal Train in October 1957 from Paddington to Gloucester.

She spent much of her working life based at Old Oak Common depot in London, and had spells in Worcester, Newton Abbot and Laira before a final transfer to Cardiff, where she was withdrawn from service in 1963.

Nunney Castle was rescued from a scrapyard in Barry in 1976 and restored to her former glory before being put back into service in 1990.

Since the locomotive has been a regular performer on the mainline and has been enjoyed by thousands of passengers and enthusiasts alike.