Stephenson Railway Museum in North Tyneside recently launched a public appeal to help restore one of its most loved steam locomotives: Ashington No.5, also known as Jackie Milburn in honour of the great Newcastle footballer who grew up in Ashington and who is known affectionately to thousands of North Easterners as ‘Wor Jackie’.

In the past, Jackie Milburn regularly hauled passengers on the North Tyneside Steam Railway and was one of the star attractions at the Museum, but it now needs a full restoration to get it back on track.

Restoration of the locomotive is not only desirable, it is necessary to ensure that the Museum will be able to offer its visitors the steam train rides for which it has become so popular. The Museum therefore launched the public appeal to raise the £138,000 needed to begin work on the restoration.

The work will involve the use of traditional skills to overhaul the locomotive’s chassis, reinstate its original colour scheme and recommission its boiler so that Jackie Milburn can once again make the journey from Stephenson Railway Museum to Percy Main Village.

To get ‘Wor Jackie’ back on track the Museum needs to raise £138,000 by November 2006. It has already been offered a grant of £50,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and thanks to the generosity of other private funders, the public and the tireless work of many volunteers, the Museum has managed to secure a further £75,000 leaving just £13,000 still to raise.

The public appeal to restore Jackie Milburn has been endorsed by the Milburn family and has also received support from Sir Bobby Charlton, who along with his brother Jack is part of the Milburn’s football family.

Jack Milburn, son of Newcastle United legend Jackie, said: “My Dad would have been proud to know that another of Ashington’s famous sons now bears his name. As a Museum exhibit ‘Jackie Milburn’ is a living embodiment of our region’s great mining and railway transport heritage. However, to be truly alive the locomotive needs to be working again and that’s why I’m backing this appeal and why I’m asking the public to do the same and help get ‘Wor Jackie’ back on track.”

To make a donation online visit: www.twmuseums.org.uk/jackiemilburnappeal To find out more about the Jackie Milburn appeal and other ways of giving, please contact Kevin Taylor on (0191) 277 2173 or email: jackiemilburnappeal@twmuseums.org.uk

The main elements of the project are:* To restore Jackie Milburn to full working order * To develop new learning and outreach projects that will explore and celebrate the industrial and social heritage surrounding the locomotive as North Tyneside has an unrivalled place in the early history of the steam railway. * To build links with communities in Ashington and the surrounding area, where the locomotive spent its working life, leading to participation in the Woodhorn Community Gala Day in 2007.

Restoring Jackie Milburn will guarantee steam travel at Stephenson Railway Museum for another 10 years. This will not only benefit an estimated 30,000 visitors, school children and local community groups each year, but also new audiences who will be able to get involved in this project.

Stephenson Railway Museum is managed by Tyne & Wear Museums on behalf of North Tyneside Council. The Museum is open 11.00-16.00 on the following days: All weekends from May until October. School holidays: Whit week: 27 May until 4 June, summer holidays: 22 July until 3 September, October half term: 21 to 29 October. Free entry.