BRITAIN'S newest steam locomotive has been built in Herefordshire. 

The Corris number 10 – known as the Falcon, was put together at Alan Keef Ltd in Lea, near Ross-on-Wye. It will now take up its working life on the narrow gauge Corris Railway in Mid Wales. 

The new loco is a descendent of a trio of locomotives built for the original Corris Railway in 1878.

One survived the closure of the line in the Dulas Valley by British Railways in 1948 and has been based on the Talyllyn Railway since 1951.

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However, the Society reviving the Corris wished to have a Falcon of their own heading the trains of Victorian style carriages, constructed by volunteers, along the reopened section of line between Corris station and Maespoeth Junction north of Machynlleth.

Although the new locomotive is small and would fit comfortably inside the tender of Flying Scotsman, it is a complex machine that has cost £400,000. 

This has been raised by 500 donors, members of the Corris Railway Society and general well-wishers. Funds have also been further boosted by sales of donated books and other items plus raffles. Society members with engineering skills, working in conjunction with Keef’s, have made some components for number 10.

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A spokesperson for the Corris Railway Society said: "The Corris Rail Society has been very pleased by the quality of work by the staff at Alan Keef’s and also with the all-important communication during the period of over a decade that it has taken to see the loco building project through from conception to completion."

The locomotive will work its first passenger trains this Saturday and Sunday (September 9 and 10, leaving Corris Station at 11am, midday, 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm. 

It is intended that it will also operate at the same times on Saturdays and Sundays for the rest of September and on October 7, 14 and 21. The 3.30pm train on the 21st will be diesel worked. 

Tickets can be booked in advance from corris.co.uk where you can find out more information about the revival of the Corris Railway.

The Corris is a member of the Great Little Trains of Wales.