A HISTORIC locomotive is to steam into a North-East railway museum to join engines normally based in America and Canada.

The A4 class locomotive Union of South Africa will steam to Locomotion: the National Railway Museum at Shildon, County Durham, on Friday (October 19).

The vintage locomotive will join the A4 class Dominion of Canada and Dwight D Eisenhower engines that are on show at the museum.

The Dominion of Canada has spent the last 50 years on show in Montreal and the Dwight D Eisenhower has spent the time in Wisconsin.

They are visiting to help 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.

There are only six A4 class engines left and they will all be on show to celebrate the Mallard anniversary in 2013 at the National Rail Museum, York, and in Shildon in 2014.

The Union of South Africa is heading to Shildon in a trip organised by the 30472 Charters group of rail enthusiasts.

The group arranged for the Union of South Africa to be at Shildon so they could get pictures of the three engines together.

The Union of South Africa is set to arrive in Shildon at 3.35pm on Friday (October 19) and will be on site to view near the other A4 engines on Saturday and Sunday.

The 30472 Charters group has arranged for a special photo shoot of the three A4 engines set to take place on Friday and Saturday nights.

Entry to the Charter’s group photo session is by £60 ticket only. To apply for tickets contact mail.30742@btinternet.com.

The arrival time of the Union of South Africa could change, and people are advised to check with the museum before travelling.