A GUEST locomotive is heading back to a museum to take part in a Railway Children themed Winter Steam Gala.

Staff at Locomotion: The national Railway Museum at Shildon will welcome back Joem which is owned by the North-East Locomotive Preservation Trust.

The engine arrived in Shildon, County Durham, on Friday, January 9, after it appeared at the museum last year.

In its heyday Joem was used to in a shunting yard, railway owned docks and coal staithes all over the North-East.

Joem is on show until late March and it features in the gala which runs between Saturday, February 14, and Sunday, February 15.

A collection of locomotives which have appeared in television or film versions of Edith Nesbit’s The Railway Children will also be on show.

Amongst them is Great Western Railway locomotive No. 5775 which appeared in the film version of the story alongside Jenny Agutter.

It is on loan to Locomotion from the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, in West Yorkshire, and it was restored in Shildon.

There will also be several stalls at the gala selling railway related items.

Entry is free and the doors are open between 10am and 4pm and details can be obtained via 01388-777999, email locomotion@nrm.org.uk or look online at nrm.org.uk/locomotion