Volunteers at East Somerset Railway have an exciting new project for 2020 with the arrival of ex-GWR Large Prairie 4110 2-6-2T, which arrived at the Cranmore Station today (January 9) after being transported from the Dartmouth Steam Railway.

The East Somerset Railway (ESR) will begin three years of restoration work followed by a three-year period when the ESR will be able to use the loco to haul their passenger trains.

4110 was built at Swindon Works in 1936 and withdrawn from service in 1965. After languishing at Barry scrapyard until 1979 it was sold to the West Somerset Railway in 2015, remaining at Minehead until February last year when, due to lack of funding for the restoration work, it was sold to the Dartmouth Steam Railway.

The East Somerset Railway has built up an excellent reputation for its renovation of steam engines in recent years.

Last November the volunteers completed a two-year restoration project on 5239 Goliath which made its first appearance on the line during December hauling the Santa Specials.

Train lovers can look forward to a bumper crop of locos to enjoy during the ESR's annual Steam Gala which will see five engines running - the resident Ivatt 46447, 5637 and Lady Nan, 5239 Goliath and newcomer small Prairie 4555, which will be on loan to the ESR for two years from the Dartmouth Steam Railway. The Steam Gala will be held on the weekend of March 21 and 22.