AN incredibly rare Victorian steam locomotive has arrived on Dorset’s heritage railway.

Having closely escaped the scrap man’s cutting torch 70 years ago, the train has been transferred to the Swanage Railway Trust by the National Railway Museum.

In recent years the Adams T3 class No. 563 has found fame starring in acclaimed productions of The Railway Children on both sides of the Atlantic.

A delighted Swanage Railway Company chairman Trevor Parsons said: “It’s absolutely incredible to see the T3 on the Swanage Railway and marvellous that she has finally arrived.

“Even with the protective tarpaulins over her, you can really appreciate the locomotive’s distinctive and charming Victorian lines.”

He added that the steam train is a complete original, with its sports livery dating from 1893.

Built in 1893 for hauling express trains on the London and South Western Railway, it was withdrawn by the Southern Railway at the end of the Second World War, by which time it had run a total of 1.5 million miles.

Mr Parsons said that only 20 of the T3 class of steam locomotive were built for the London and South Western Railway in 1892 and 1893 – and No. 563 is the only survivor of the class, making it a unique model.

Originally designed by William Adams for smooth running at up to 80mph, it was decided the 81-tonne No. 563 would not be scrapped after it was put out of use in 1945.

Instead, the unique locomotive was selected for restoration and display at the centenary celebrations for London’s Waterloo station, during 1948, in a move which guaranteed its preservation.

Part of the National Railway Museum collection in County Durham, the T3 was transported by sea to Canada in 2011 where it had a six-month starring role in Toronto’s Roundhouse Park for a theatrical production of ‘The Railway Children’.

The No. 563 then crossed back over the Atlantic when the production was staged at King’s Cross station in London with a thousand seat pop-up theatre.

Having now been hauled to Corfe Castle station, Mr Parsons said: “We hope to suitably display the locomotive to the public and illustrate a period of important London and South Western Railway history that has previously not been possible.

“Our primary aim is No. 563’s conservation and preservation.”