RAIL enthusiasts have been queuing up to buy a historic image of a famous record breaking steam engine and its five sister locomotives.

The Northern Echo has been inundated by readers keen to buy copies of its photograph of the six A4 locomotives on show in Shildon.

The photograph, which featured Mallard alongside Bittern, Sir Nigel Gresley, Dominion of Canada, Union of South Africa and Dwight D Eisenhower, appeared across the front and back covers of Saturday's Northern Echo. 

All six engines are on show at Locomotion: The National Railway Museum for The Great Goodbye exhibition, which is part of a series of events to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Mallard setting the speed record for a steam engine on July 3, 1938.

The Great Goodbye runs at Locomotion until Sunday, February 23 with doors open from 9.30am to 5pm and free entry.