A RECORD-BREAKING locomotive will steam into the county today.

After 83 years in service, the iconic 6201 Princess Elizabeth will be making its debut appearance in Southampton, Bournemouth, Poole and Swanage.

She is set to arrive in Bournemouth at 12.51pm, Wareham at 1.06pm, Corfe Castle at 1.36pm and Swanage at 1.57pm. 

As the largest operational steam locomotive in Britain, the 6201 will head the luxurious Cathedrals Express train service from London Victoria, before returning via Romsey, Laverstock and Andover to London Waterloo.

In 1936, Princess Elizabeth broke the world long distance speed record for steaming in excess of 70mph between London ad Glasgow, a world record that still stands for steam engines today.

Roland Norton, a volunteer in the Locomotive 6201 Princess Elizabeth Society, said: "The giant 160-ton locomotive, resplendent in L.M.S. red livery, is substantially more powerful than its L.N.E.R. rival Flying Scotsman.

"It was designed at Derby’s locomotive works in 1933 and built at Crewe, where it was named after Her Majesty the Queen, then Princess Elizabeth of York.

"In its working life with the L.M.S. and British Railways Princess Elizabeth powered expresses from London's Euston Station to the north, often consisting of up to 20 coaches, weighing well over 550 tons"

The powerful locomotive was withdrawn from service in 1962 when it was purchased for preservation and underwent extensive restoration to return it to mainline condition.

Today, it is controlled by the Locomotive 6201 Princess Elizabeth Society Ltd, and has recently received a three and a half year overhaul to resume its 40-year-old role hauling charter trains across the railways network.

Operated by Steam Dream tours, the Princess Elizabeth returned to commercial service earlier this month, with the London to Swanage trip set to be its third.

Whilst out of commercial service the engine participated in a number of royal events.

Mr Norton said: "In line with 6201’s Royal associations, she participated in the 2012 Royal Jubilee celebrations. This included standing on the Thames railway bridge adjacent to Chelsea Wharf, sounding its whistle to signal the start of the Royal Water Pageant.

"Later in the year 6201 headed the Royal Train on the Royal Jubilee Tour from Newport to Hereford, Worcester and Swindon to Oxford. This was the longest steam hauled Royal Train journey since the 1960’s. "

View a list of precise times and stations here