A RAILWAY icon will leave York this month, and to mark the occasion a special display was held last night.

Mallard, which has been on display at the National Railway Museum since last year along with its surviving sister locomotives, will be transported to Durham. The “Great Goodbye” yesterday saw the museum team up with Durham Castle for a joint display.

The art-deco style display saw the Mallard 75 logo projected on to the side of the NRM, which can be viewed from the railway tracks, and simultaneously on the side of Durham Castle.

Two of the locomotives, Dominion of Canada and Dwight D Eisenhower, have already been sent to the National Railway Museum at Shildon, and Anthony Coulls, senior curator of railway vehicles at the NRM, said this would be a good send off for the Great Gathering.

He said: “Lighting up a frosty February evening demonstrates how our Mallard 75 events showcase our collection to new audiences and turn the spotlight on to the wonder of British engineering.

“Fans don’t have long to wait before they can once again get up close to the record breaker – with the added bonus of being surrounded by sisters in steam.”

Melanie Sensicle, chief executive of Visit County Durham, said: “We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Mallard and sisters to tell the story of high-speed travel down the East Coast Mainline and we hope that the ‘Mallard effect’ that saw a quarter of a million visitors flocking to York will create a rail boom for Durham.”

Michelle Crawford, bursar at University College, Durham Castle said: “The castle is the perfect canvas for the lighting projection. We are sure it will create intrigue and excitement around the city.

“The historic building is the venue of choice for many special events and the last ever family reunion for Mallard and sisters is a particularly special occasion which we are delighted to be involved in.”