Sheffield's new steam locomotives go on show

Visitors can see the progress of two brand-new steam engines being built side by side at CTL Seal in Sheffield's Butterthwaite Lane

A mini-industrial revolution is taking place in Sheffield with two brand-new steam locomotives being built.

The project is the brainchild of CTL Seal which usually makes high-tech components for the renewable energy industry.

The firm is opening the doors to its assembly shop later to allow members of the public to see the progress so far.

Geoff Turner from the Clan Locomotive Project said the engines were being built in "a cathedral to engineering".

Andy England, managing director at CTL Seal, said the firm usually worked with "the renewable market, the oil and gas, nuclear"

As part of a modernisation program, steam locomotives were shunted aside to be replaced by diesels in the 1950s, which was followed in the 1960s by electrification.

Andy England, managing director at CTL Seal, said a Clan Class locomotive and a B17, also known as a Sandringham Class, were "being built side by side".

"It's a good market to be in and the people we actually meet, they've got a wealth of knowledge - the young men we've got are learning from them, so why not"

Mr England said he had not ruled out having more new-build steam under his roof, which meant the various volunteer-led groups involved in building the locomotives "could learn from one another".

The last mainline steam passenger service in Britain ran from Liverpool to Carlisle on 11 August 1968

On Saturday, visitors to CTL Seal in Butterthwaite Lane will see how far construction has progressed with the building of a new Clan Class Pacific steam locomotive No. 72010 Hengist and the new London and North Eastern Railway B17 Class No. 61673 Spirit of Sandringham.

John Pearson from the B17 team Locomotive Trust, one of the groups building the locomotives said they were being built in a spirit of collaboration: "We work together we exchange ideas and it's an excellent environment."

Geoff Turner from the Clan Locomotive Project said rather than being put together in "a little siding somewhere at the end of a heritage railway", the engines were being built in what had been described as "a cathedral to engineering".