A MAJOR overhaul of the famous Sir Nigel Gresley locomotive is about to get under way in York.

The restoration work of the locomotive, recently a popular sight at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, will take place in the National Railway Museum’s workshop and is expected to take three years.

It will be its sixth significant facelift since owners, The Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust Limited, purchased it in 1966.

The Trust’s engineering team will undertake the repairs to the chassis and tender while the boiler will be sub-contracted to a specialist.

New tyres for the driving wheels are also required, which are on order from South Africa.

All work will be carried out to full Network Rail standards to ensure the locomotive can continue to operate throughout the country over the subsequent seven to 10 years.

Nigel Wilson, chairman of The Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust Limited, said: “The decision to work at the National Railway Museum was taken primarily because of the availability of excellent engineering facilities.

"We’re also really enthusiastic about the opportunity for new generations to see our engineering team carry out a real-life restoration project via the public viewing balcony.”