RESTORERS working on a historic locomotive in the North-East have re-united the engine with its original 1937 cabside crest.

The Dominion of Canada engine has been lent to Locomotion: The National Railway Museum at Shildon, County Durham, by Exporail, the Canadian National Railway Museum, Montreal.

The A4 class engine is being restored by railway fans at the Shildon museum as part of its visit.

Its visit forms part of the event to mark the 75th anniversary of the Mallard, an A4 class engine, breaking the world speed record for steam locomotives in 1938 with a speed of 125.88mph.

The Dominion of Canada is being repainted from its British Railway’s green back to its original 1937 blue and it will have other work done too.

The train’s original cabside crest which featured the Royal Coat of Arms of Canada was removed from it in 1949 during a repainting job.

The Locomotion team has tracked down an original 1937 Dominion of Canada cabside crest plate at the Doncaster Grammar School Railway Museum.

This will be used to create two replica crests that will be fitted to the engine during the restoration. The original plate will be on show at Locomotion until the end of March.

As part of the Mallard anniversary celebrations all six remaining A4 class engines will be on show at the National Rail Museum, York, this year and Shildon in 2014.

Visitors can watch the on-going restoration of the Dominion of Canada from a gallery which overlooks the conservation workshop at Locomotion.

The National Railway Museum’s senior curator of rail vehicles Anthony Coulls will give regular free talks on the project.

Places for the talks are limited and must be pre-booked by calling the museum on 01388-771439.