Railway enthusiasts are appealing for help to save a famous 91-year-old steam locomotive that used to haul passengers from York.

Princess Elizabeth, named after the late queen when she was still a schoolgirl, used to take York passengers over the picturesque Settle-Carlisle line.

But in July 2021 the locomotive suffered a major boiler failure just hours before pulling  the luxury Northern Belle train.

Now a £165,000 appeal has been launched to pay for a major overhaul in a bid to get the record-breaking engine back on track next year.

But Clive Mojonnier, chairman of the Princess Elizabeth Society, warned the final bill could be nearer half a million pounds.

“We have already removed her boiler to investigate but we won’t know the full situation until after the overhaul,” he said.

“Whatever the cost, it will be worth it because Lizzie is not just a locomotive, she is part of our nation’s heritage.”

Built originally for the old London, Midland and Scottish Region at Crewe and costing just £11,685, Princess Elizabeth still holds the record for the fastest non-stop steam train journey between London and Scotland.

Famous train was almost scrapped

The locomotive was renumbered 46201 when the railways were nationalised in 1948, but was withdrawn from service in 1962 after British Rail began turning to diesel locomotives.

Lizzie was set to be scrapped before a group of enthusiasts bought her for £2,160 to save her from being turned into pots and pans.

The locomotive later played a major role in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012 before pulling the Royal Train carrying the Queen and Prince Philip.

Read next:

The Northern Belle, which Huddersfield businessman bought from the Orient Express group in 2017, will make two steam journeys from York over the Settle-Carlisle line in in April and August this year.

These will be hauled by Battle of Britain class locomotive Tangmere, which once operated express trains from London to the South Coast.  

There will also be trips to other destinations, including Edinburgh and Llandudno.