'I bought a train for £1 - I'm overjoyed at the generosity to help move it to Shropshire'

Robert Hampton, bought a Merseyrail Class 507 train for £1 from Angel Trains to save it from going to scrap within the next 12 months.

Tanat Valley Railway, near Oswestry, has agreed to re-house the train, but it will cost £10,000. The class 507 must be moved by road after the 41-year-old takes ownership of the train in the summer when it is retired.

A fleet of Class 777s is replacing the electric Class 507 trains which were were first introduced in 1978. A number of the trains have already been scrapped, but Robert has saved first of the fleet - 507001.

The train was used by Queen Elizabeth II as she travelled to Kirby on October 25, 1978 after opening the Mersyrail Network and unveiling a plaque at Moorfields Station in Liverpool.

Robert is the founder of the 'Class 507 Preservation Society', and their fundraiser to cover the costs of moving the train to Tanat Valley has already surpassed the £8,000 mark.

The train enthusiast is grateful for people's generosity towards the fundraiser, and looks forward to seeing the train in action in north Shropshire.

Robert said: "We're overjoyed. When we first started we were very worried that £10,000 would be an unrealistic goal, but this train and its story seems to have struck a chord with a lot of people.

"We’re really excited to see it hopefully get to that and to keep the train for prosperity.

"I had this idea to preserve this train about a year ago. At first it was just me, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how many people have rallied round and not just contributed financially but with support for me and the society.

"The pound to buy the train is essentially a donation really..

"When I approached Angel Trains, the first thing that they said to convince them that I was serious was to prove that I had got a home for it and somewhere where the train could be kept safe and secure.

"We approached a few heritage railways around the country and asked if they could help us out, and Tanat Valley were pretty much the only one that not only responded positively but were quite excited to have this train on their site because they think it’s something unique, and unusual perhaps.

"The people at Tanat Valley saw the potential in it being an exhibit and drawing people in even as a static display.

"I’ll be there when the lorries are unloaded to make sure that everything goes to plan. We plan as soon as possible to work with the people at Tanat Valley and to have an open day where everyone is welcome to come down and see the train in its new home."

Tanat Valley Railway has previously inherited class 309 trains from the Electric Railway Museum which has permanently closed.

Project manager and director at Tanat Valley, Mark Hignett, first spoke to Robert about re-housing the class 507 train, and looks forward to welcoming visitors to see the train.

"There are gaps in the railway preservation where trains go to scrap and aren’t protected," said Mark. "The trouble is with the newer versions of trains, that people don’t see them as iconic as the older vehicles.

"Robert got in touch, I spoke to the other directors and we made sure that we could house it properly and in a suitable space. What we didn’t want was for it to be pushed up at the end of a line and out of sight because that’s not really preserving it.

"We re–arranged what we’ve got, changed our plans slightly and created what we think will be a good space for people to come and see it.

"It’ll be another pull and Oswestry has strong links with the Liverpool area anyway as demonstrated in the museum.

"It fits in with the ethos of our museum which will be not to just be an operating railway, but a museum."