A LOCOMOTIVE involved in two rail disasters is back in use on the East Coast Main Line.

The electric engine, which was part of the trains that came to grief in the Hatfield and Selby tragedies, has been refurbished and given the name City of Durham.

But bosses at franchise-holder GNER did not hold a ceremony as they often do when a locomotive is named.

Locomotive 91023 pulled the train that was partially derailed at Hatfield, near London, in October 2000. Four people died.

Four months later it was at the rear of the ill-fated Newcastle to King's Cross service that hit Gary Hart's Land Rover, killing ten people and injuring 75 others.

With its new name and new_number , 91132, the engine is back in full-time service after being given a "mid-life re-fit''.

A GNER spokesman said: ''It is a coincidence. I wouldn't say it was a jinx.

"There is no reason whatsoever for any passengers to be worried. I don't think they will be put off.

"It was at the front at Hatfield and at the rear at Great Hek (Selby) but neither of the incidents resulted in damage to the locomotive.

"It is completely safe to be running. We wouldn't run it if it wasn't completely safe.''

He added that all the locomotives of the same class were going through a "mid-life refurbishment. It is not unusual.''