BBC News reader Nicholas Owen will name diesel loco at Axminster Station

A main line railway engine is to be named after a top Axe Valley tourist attraction.

BBC news reader Nicholas Owen will be at Axminster station on Sunday, June 9, to officially christen the diesel locomotive ‘Seaton Tramway’.

The ceremony will take place after the South West Trains’ class 159 loco arrives from London Waterloo, at 11.21am.

She will be carrying a party of 300 guests heading for the tramway’s classic car show at The Underfleet car park in Seaton, from 10am to 5pm.

Before the passengers return by road to Axminster Station, in the afternoon, to board the newly named “Seaton Tramway” loco back to London, Nicholas Owen will also present car show winners with their trophies.

Jenny Nunn, managing director of Seaton Tramway said: “Whenever the ‘Seaton Tramway’ train travels from London Waterloo to the South West passengers and passers-by will be reminded of us here. For more than 40 years our trams have been operating along most of the former Seaton branch line, which was closed by British Rail in 1966 and visitors have had the amazing opportunity to explore the stunning scenery from the top deck of a tram.

“Nicholas Owen, is the perfect person to perform the train naming as, apart from being a BBC newsreader and radio broadcaster, he is a lifelong train and tram enthusiast.”