LOVE was in the air at this year's West Somerset Railway autumn steam gala when the heritage line clocked up its first marriage proposal.

Jason Hull successfully popped the question to Lisa Ascott during the four day event in what was believed to be the first proposal in the railway's 37 year history!

As well as being thrilled for the happy couple, gala organisers said they were pleased with the success of the gala.

There were eight steam locomotives working the trains, including visitors 5029 Nunney Castle - which ran as long-scrapped classmate Criccieth Castle for the event - 7812 Erlestoke Manor, 7822 Foxcote Manor and 7827 Lydham Manor.

Some 4,773 passengers travelled the line over the four days, including a number of Welsh visitors, attracted by the Cambrian Railways theme.

One of more notable visitors was Professor Stuart Cole, the president of the Heart of Wales Line Travellers Association (HOWLTA).

He travelled from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead with Chris Austin, the chairman of the West Somerset Railway Steam Trust.

Mr Cole is also a member of First Great Western's stakeholder advisory board and a transport adviser to the Welsh Assembly.

HOWLTA is a long established support group for the long route of railway which connects Shrewsbury and Swansea via such towns as Knighton, Llandrindod Wells, Ammanford and Llanelli.

As the theme of the gala was a commemoration of the Cambrian Railways system, which served Mid Wales and Shropshire, his visit was all the more fitting.

Stations along the West Somerset line were renamed and Welsh cakes and beer from the Stonehouse Brewery in Oswestry were on offer to tempt gala-goers.

The Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust had a special open day at Washford and visitors were also able to try their hand at being a train 'driver for a fiver' - an offer too good to miss for one 86-year-old visitor!

Having parted with their money, participants were able to take the controls of former Great Western Railway heavy freight locomotive number 3850 for a journey along the quarter mile length of the platform at Minehead railway station.