Where's Moor Street's old loco gone?

Regular commuters at Birmingham's historic Moor Street station will have noticed that something is missing.

The veteran steam locomotive, which for many years has been on display in one of the platforms, has been removed and won't be going back.

Number 2885, built by the Great Western Railway at Swindon 75 years ago, was taken out by a giant crane and could be destined for a new life.

The former freight locomotive was saved from Barry scrapyards in South Wales and underwent cosmetic restoration.

It is now a short distance away at the Tyseley Locomotive Works on Warwick Road in Birmingham.

Plans to restore it as a working engine for use on heritage railways are believed to be an option under consideration.

Tyseley works is normally closed to the public, but this Saturday and Sunday (June 22 and 23) are Open Days, and the engine can be viewed once again.

Several other historic engines will be on show, including 46233 The Duchess of Sutherland which normally operates on the Midland Railway in Derbyshire.

Visitors will be able to see a brand new engineering factory which has been built at a cost of quarter of a million pounds.

This includes a crane which can lift locomotive boilers weighing up to 32 tonnes.

The facility will be opened on Saturday by Sir Albert Bore, of Birmingham City Council.