A group of old apprentice friends gathered as they officially handed over an old steam engine to the town’s museum.

Steve Goldup, Colin Rich, Anthony Jenkins, Terry Watson, and David Jenkins were all on the workplace scheme at railway works in Newtown between 1968 and 1972.

The scheme was the first off its type in Ashford, and the group completed the Engineering Industry Training Board apprenticeships in the H3 and H25 modules.

One of their tasks was to build a model steam ploughing engine, and the working model was a testament to the engineering and manufacturing skills available at the works at the time.

It was founded by the late Bert Hazeldon, and the model was handed over to the Ashford Museum in the Church Yard on Saturday.

The five were joined by Ashford Mayor Winston Michael, Bert’s family, rail enthusiasts, and museum volunteers including curator Ian Sharp.

He said: “They now live around the country now, but met for the reunion. I believe they ended up either at a pub or restaurant, and it looked as though they were all back on the apprenticeship again.

“There was a great crowd at the museum. It is a very important piece of the town’s history, and there had been interest from a buyer outside the town.

“But their family and the apprentices were very firm in saying it had to stay in Ashford, it’s a major part of the railway works when apprenticeships there were first started.”