A RESTORED railway engine has travelled to the region to mark the 50th anniversary of a class of diesel engines.

The D6700 arrived at the National Railway Museum (NRM), in York, yesterday, ahead of a weekend of celebrations marking the birth of Class 37 diesels.

One person particularly pleased to hear of its safe arrival is the winner of the NRM’s competition to rev up the D6700 tomorrow, at 10.30am.

Entrants were invited to write in with their experiences of diesel and Phil Munt, from Huddersfield, impressed judges with his tale of how a Class 37 going through his local station at night made his bed move.

Event organiser and competition judge Rose Lindsay Smith said: “It’s a story that so many people can relate to, lying in bed at night as a child and hearing a growling goods train rumble along the tracks.”

Mr Munt will be the envy of diesel fans all over as he will be first to enter the footplate of the freshlyrestored D6700, the first of its class to enter traffic in 1960, and press the start button to begin the mighty machine.

Visitors can enjoy six Class 37 locomotives on display in the Museum’s South Yard, cab access and diesel rides as well as trade and display stands.

A selection of the best competition entries can be read at nrm.org.uk/diesels