Members of the South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society have been awarded a £35,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help restore their German built Henschel 0-4-0T steam locomotive number 6 "Thomas Edmondson".
The locomotive was one of a large number built for the German Army during the First World War and it is the only one capable of being restored to working order in its original condition.
After World War I, it was sold to the Spanish Military who used it in the Riff Campaign.
It also played its part in the Spanish Civil War before being sold to a colliery in northern Spain, from which the South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society purchased it in 1984.
In 1987, the locomotive entered service on the South Tynedale Railway at Alston and the late Earl of Carlisle named it "Thomas Edmondson" after the inventor of the card ticketing system at Milton (now Brampton) station on the Newcastle & Carlisle line between 1836 and 1838.
This system was subsequently adopted worldwide.
With the help of the staff of local schools and colleges, educational material, and a video will be produced, and members of the public will have access to the work in progress.
Volunteers of the South Tynedale Railway's engineering department will complete the restoration at their workshops at Alston.
It is intended that the locomotive will return to service to haul passenger trains between Alston and Kirkhaugh in two years' time.
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