A RAILWAY enthusiast from Canada has praised the restoration of a historic locomotive on loan from Montreal to help mark the 75th anniversary of the Mallard breaking the land speed record.

David Russell, from Ottawa, was visiting Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon to see the A4 class Dominion of Canada engine.

The locomotive is on loan from the Canadian National Railway Museum, in Montreal, to help mark the 75th anniversary of the A4 class Mallard reaching 125.88mph in 1938.

The Doncaster-built engine is in England for the first time in more than 50 years and has undergone a £50,000 restoration as part of the loan.

Workers have stripped the engine’s British Rail green paint and have restored it to its original garter blue colour.

Mr Russell said: “The restoration is amazing and the team has done a marvellous job. The engine will get pride of place in Montreal.

“It will be placed next to the Royal Hudson engine which pulled a train carrying King George VI in Canada in 1939.

“It’s lovely and I think it’s looking better than ever." 

The Dominion of Canada's whistle and bell are to be remounted on the front of the engine as part of the restoration.

Malcolm Bonnett, 67, of Barnard Castle, a Locomotion volunteer, worked for British Rail in Darlington in the 1960s.

He said: “I’ve been here six months and I’ve helped work on the Dominion of Canada.

“It’s re-awakened old skills. It’s been a labour of love and it’s brought back lots of happy memories. I’m proud to have worked on it.”

Anthony Coulls, Locomotion's senior curator of railway vehicles, said: “The team has worked extremely hard and it’s a marvellous achievement."

The six remaining A4 class locomotives will be united at the National Rail Museum, York, in July, and at Shildon next year, to mark Mallard’s anniversary.