IT was supposed to take just six years to build, but some things are worth waiting for.

John Livesey dreamed of constructing a new traction engine from scratch and the self-propelled steam engine has finally arrived at his home in Holtby - 11 years after he first commissioned it to be built.

The 59-year-old said he asked his two daughters to pick a name for the 15-tonne engine and they christened it 'Forever'.

“It’s because it took forever to build it," he said. It started off as a joke, but it will go through generations.

“It will last forever too, at least 100 or 200 years. If a nuclear bomb went off it would still be there.

“It’s crazy to think it will carry on running, it makes you wonder what the world will be like and who will own it."

John said Forever is the only traction engine in the world which is entirely new, built by engineers from the historic William Foster machinery company based in Lincoln. He added that he had the idea for the project after a visit to the National Railway Museum in York to see the steam locomotive Tornado. John said: “I never thought in my lifetime I would ever see a brand new steam locomotive built. I was just really inspired by it.

“It’s been quite a journey. I have seen every part being made.

“It was a great day when the engine first turned over and it worked. I was wowed."

Former IT company owner John said the project set him back nearly half a million pounds. But the unique engine is already proving popular and is booked to appear at the Duncombe Park Steam Rally in July as well as the Great Dorset Steam Fair.

And with a maximum speed of 4mph, John added: “People are keen to see it, everyone is taking photos and asking about it - you never get anywhere."