A STEAM engine that used to aid Britain’s Second World War effort has been restored to its former glory and is to go on display in the region.

The Duchess of Hamilton is to feature in a new free display at the National Railway Museum, in York.

The engine was built in the Thirties during an era when designers tried to make engines more desirable by streamlining them.

In 1942, its crimson and gold streamlining livery was painted over for wartime service but never restored to its original colours.

Friends of the National Railway Museum, staff at Tyseley Locomotive Works, in Birmingham, and Steam Railway Magazine readers have restored the engine.

Joe Savage, display content manager at the the museum, said: “The Duchess of Hamilton is one of the most significant products of its era.

“Its streamlined form embodied the language of speed and sold an exciting image of modernity to potential passengers.

“During a time of hardship, the streamlined shape turned the Duchess of Hamilton into an exciting symbol of progress and it still has the power to inspire.”

The exhibition Streamlined: Styling An Era, runs from today until December 31, and the museum is open daily from 10am to 6pm.