Popular Danish steam locomotive makes long-awaiting return to the tracks in Peterborough after 38 years out of service

There were celebrations for train enthusiasts on Saturday (February 10) as a popular locomotive re-entered service for the first time in 38 years.

Passengers were able to catch a ride on train service hauled by the Danish F Class 0-6-0T No.656 ‘Tinkerbell’ steams locomotive, which started at Wansford and called at all stations along the city’s Nene Valley Railway.

The locomotive has not been in service since 1986 and has been undergone an overhaul that began in the winter of 2003/04 and lasted for over 20 years.

The team at Nene Valley Railway, led by Dave O’Connell along with the help of David Withers, Shaun Scriven and many others, the locomotive has lovingly been restores to full working order.

Peterborough’s Nene Valley Railway is the only place such a locomotive can be seen as it is the only preserved line in the UK that supports the European Berne loading gauge the locomotive uses.

The locomotive was built by Frichs, Aarhus, no.360 of Denmark in 1949 and was originally owned by Danish State Railways.

Number 656 was one of 120 locomotives built over a 51-year period for the predecessors of the present Danish State Railways.

Just 13 remain in existence, with only six believed to be in working order.

Following the devastation of the Second World War, there was an urgent need by Danish State Railways for shunting locomotives.

No records exist of the locomotives’ duties but it it thought that its job would have been used to transport lights good was passengers before before being withdrawn from regular service and placed in store at Aarhus Depot.

From Aarhus, No. 656 was purchased privately, for around 17,000 kroner and trans­ported to Peterborough in 1975.

The locomotive was steamed for the first time on the Railway in 1976 and after the formal opening of the Nene Valley Railway in 1977, saw regular use on the lighter off-peak trains.

As the locomotive is fitted with a bell, it became affectionate­ly known by NVR members as 'Tinkerbell'.

In 1985, 656s owner, was sold to John Snasdell but Locomotive No. 656 was taken out of service, in 1986, with a failed firebox, and placed in storage pending availability of resources for a complete rebuild.

In late 2002, the green light was finally given to bring the locomotive back into service.

Joe Fitzjohn, who captured the stunning video sent to the Peterborough Telegraph said: “It was surreal feeling to think that no one has seen her trundle out over this bridge since the 80s.

"It was surreal to see it regardless, truly something magical.”

Tickets for all future journeys can be booked at nvr.org.uk.