One of the last surviving North East built steam locomotives is undergoing a near-£400,000 overhaul ahead of the Stockton and Darlington Railway bicentenary in 2025.

It’s hoped that 69023, called Joem and owned by the North East Locomotive Preservation Group (NELPG), will be back on the rails next year. She has been out of action since early 2018.

The tank engine was one of 230 class J72 locomotives built over a 54-year period between 1897 and 1951 and is the only one to have escaped the scrapyard.

Familiar around the North East in the days of steam, she spent several years as station pilot at Newcastle Central.

The Northern Echo: Joem has been in NELPG's care since 1982Joem has been in NELPG's care since 1982 (Image: NELPG)

Much of the restoration is being carried out at NELPG’s workshop in Hopetown, Darlington, though crucial boiler repairs are outsourced to a company in Middlesbrough and other work to Stockton.

When Darlington Council begins work on restoration of the workshop in the autumn, part of the Railway Quarter project, Joem is expected to be moved – by low loader – to the 1861 S&D Railway shed across the tracks.

Work is being partially funded by a £124,000 grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and £20,000 from the Association for Industrial Archaeology.

A cheque for £504 was also presented at the Darlington workshop by Bachmann Europe, a model making company which made a limited edition of 504 models of Joem – only 12 remain. The company’s donations now total £1,600.

Three models were also presented to Fred Ramshaw, recently retired as Joem’s “caretaker”, to Chris Lawson the group’s archivist and to Maureen Howe, whose late partner Allan Toomey left a substantial legacy to fund the work.

NELPG chairman John Hunt said that many in the North-East were looking forward to the “sight, sound and smell” of Joem back at work.

“It’s been a privilege to meet the NELPH team and to see the amazing work that’s going on” said Bachmann rail brand manager Richard Proudman. Fewer than a dozen of the models remain for sale.

Founded in 1966, NELPG owns three other locomotives – a class K1 familiar on the West Highland Railway but now itself undergoing a major overhaul, a class Q6 numbered 63395 in British Railways days and a class J27, 65894, which will be 100 years old this year – a centenary to be marked by a fresh coat of paint.

Joem was bought from BR in 1966 and has been in NELPG care since 1982. She was named after the buyer’s parents – Joseph and Emmeline.