A large number of railway enthusiasts turned out today to watch a renowned steam locomotive on the mainline in West Yorkshire.

No. 4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley’ - which belongs to the same A4 class of locomotive as record-breaker 'Mallard' - steamed through Mirfield and Brighouse this afternoon.

The historic loco recently underwent a major overhaul lasting seven years, and has been in action on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) through October.

However, the visit has now drawn to a close and the engine took to the mainline for its return to Crewe.

The loco, pulling just one carriage, was watched by a healthy number of enthusiasts as it passed through Brighouse, before it headed up the Calder Valley line through Elland, Sowerby Bridge, Hebden Bridge and on towards Rochdale and Manchester.

The loco passed Brighouse at about 2.30pm, as forecast in the earlier story by the Telegraph & Argus.

Train fans young and old gathered at the lineside, on bridges and station platforms to wave the loco on its way. 

Built at Doncaster works, No. 4498 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ entered service in 1937 following a naming ceremony at Marylebone station on 26th November. It was the 100th Gresley Pacific built by the London and North Eastern Railway.

The locomotive was mainly based at London King's Cross, with a spell at Grantham during World War II, and was briefly re-numbered as No. 7 before becoming No. 60007 when the LNER was merged into British Railways.

On 3rd June 1956 Sir Nigel Gresley had the honour of hauling the Royal Train from Kings Cross to York with H.M the Queen on board. The "Stephenson Locomotive Society Special" of the 23rd May 1959 was the first train in the UK with a booked or advertised schedule of over 100mph and during that trip No. 60007 set the official post-war speed record for steam traction of 112 mph.