Full steam ahead for railway line

It is hoped the engine will be running by Christmas

A recently reopened County Durham railway has bought its first working steam locomotive.

The Weardale Railway restarted services in the summer after it went into voluntary administration in January 2005, a few months after opening.

Since August, it has been running diesel-powered trains while it searched for a steam locomotive.

It found the engine at the Colne Valley Railway, in Essex, and hopes to start using it before Christmas.

'Ideal engine'

The purchase of the engine, which cost about £60,000, was made possible by a grant from the Northern Rock Foundation with a further contribution from Railway Trust member Ronald Enticott and funds from the Sir James Knott Trust.

The engine was built in Newcastle and ran for a while pulling passenger trains in Northumberland before moving to a heritage railway in East Anglia, where it was restored to working order.

Trust chairman Kevin Hillary said: "We are overjoyed to have our own steam locomotive.

"It's an ideal engine for our line and it has the added benefit of having been locally built and operated, it is part of North East railway history."

Fewer than expected passengers and contractual problems forced the £5m project to cease operations.

But services resumed in the summer after a rescue deal involving a London-based community transport group.