NEWLYWEDS Scott and Michelle Todd have struck up a fine romance with heritage railways.

The romantic couple yesterday held a champagne buffet reception on Britain's newest line in Weardale, County Durham.

After their wedding at St Peter's Church, Croft, on Saturday, the couple held their first reception at Darlington Rugby Club.

Then they travelled in a stretched limousine - along with their parents, best man, bridesmaids and wedding guests - for another reception, on the 4.30pm train leaving from Wolsingham.

The reception, the first to be held on the heritage line since it opened in July, was laid on by Mr Todd's sister, Joanne Clark, who runs the Signal Box caf at Stanhope station.

Ms Clark said: "It was my way of doing something special for Scott and Michelle."

Mr Todd, 36, who owns a Darlington limousine company, and Mrs Todd, 33, an NHS administrative manager, decided to have the reception on the Weardale railway after travelling on it two weeks ago.

"We thought the scenery along the line and the atmosphere created by the steam engine were fabulous," said Mrs Todd. "We just loved it."

The couple also revealed how the trip on the Weardale railway had inspired them to travel on trains throughout the world. After taking a short honeymoon this week, they will be packing their bags and embarking on a year-long tour of the world.

"We are in the process of selling two houses and we will be using the proceeds from these to tour the world - most of the time back-packing," said Mr Todd.

"After our experience on the Weardale line, you can bet we will spend a lot of our time travelling on trains."

* Weardale Railways Limited is operating four train journeys a day up to the end of the season on October 3.