The Sir Archibald Sinclair was withdrawn by British Railways in May 1966

A steam train that has taken volunteers 30 years to restore has joined the fleet of a heritage railway line in East Sussex.

The Bluebell Railway unveiled the Bulleid 'Battle of Britain' class steam locomotive called the Sir Archibald Sinclair on Friday.

It was purchased from Woodham's scrap yard in Barry, South Wales, in October 1979 for £7,250.

The charity said a dedicated band of volunteers had brought it back to life.

The locomotive, No.34059, was withdrawn by British Railways in May 1966 having run 877,107 miles since being built at the Brighton Works of the Southern Railway in April 1947.

The Bluebell line was connected to the National Rail network for the first time in half a century earlier this year.

It is part of a £4m project to extend the Bluebell Railway, which currently runs for nine miles from Sheffield Park to Kingscote, to East Grinstead.

Work to extend the line began last year and if fundraising goes to plan it should be completed in 2010, with steam trains entering East Grinstead over the 10-arch Imberhorne viaduct.