A steam locomotive has finally taken to the rails for its first public appearance after a decade of meticulous volunteer-led restoration work.
This 1954-class 62 engine, originally built in Yugoslavia, arrived in the United Kingdom in 2006 and was relocated to Shillingstone in January 2016, Dorset.
The overhaul was carried out by Project 62, a dedicated group of volunteers who are also overseeing work on a second Class 62 locomotive, the 30075.
The freshly restored engine premiered on Sunday as part of a Santa special, marking the completion of a new extension to the North Dorset Railway.
Although based at Shillingstone, Project 62 operates independently from the North Dorset Railway. The volunteer group is committed to preserving two Yugoslav Class 62 variants of the USA 0-6-0 S100 type, both historically used for shunting freight and raw materials at steelworks in Yugoslavia, notably in Zenica and Ljubljana.
The estimated budget required to restore 30076 exceeded £130,000.
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