A HISTORIC locomotive’s £50,000 makeover is nearing completion as it prepares to take part in the 75th anniversary of the Mallard winning the world steam crown.

The A4 class engine The Dominion of Canada has undergone several months of work at Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon.

The streamlined engine is on loan from the Canadian National Railway Museum, Montreal, to help mark the anniversary of the Mallard’s 125.88mph record breaking journey in 1938.

The engine is back in the UK for the first time in more than 50-years after a cross Atlantic trip of 2,527-miles and the restoration is part of the loan deal.

Ian Matthews who worked on the Darlington-made locomotive Tornado, did most of the painting on the Dominion of Canada.

Mr Matthews, of M-Machine, Darlington, said: “It’s been a labour of love for me. It’s been hard but the enthusiasm keeps you going.

“Everyone has put a lot of hard work in but it’s almost completed now and a lot of people have seen the work and they have liked it. I’m very proud of the final result.”

He used a three inch and a one and half inch brush to hand paint the engine.

The restoration has taken 15 litres of primer, 25 litres of undercoat and a further 15 litres of gloss and varnish.

The Dominion of Canada's whistle and bell were remounted on the engine too.

The Friends of the National Railway Museum donated £50,000 to the cost of renovating the Dominion of Canada and a second A4 class engine the Dwight D Eisenhower.

The remaining six A4 class engines will reunite to mark the anniversary, at the National Rail Museum, York, in July, and at a farewell event to be held in Shildon next year. Details on the Mallard anniversary events can be found at nrm.org.uk/mallard75.