TOURISTS in one of Britain's most historic cities are seeing Bolton workmanship at its very best.

For a steam engine made at Horwich in 1926 holds centre stage at the world-famous National Railway Museum, at York.

And another, the first completed at the Horwich Loco Works, way back in 1889, is also a major attraction for the thousands of visitors to the museum.

The gleaming black body of No 2700, a 2-6-0 passenger and freight engine which served faithfully until being withdrawn in 1966 is currently at the centre of the exhibition.

It occupies a proud spot, surrounded by such famous names as the world speed record-breaking Mallard.

Close by, passenger tank locomotive No 1008, the first to emerge from the Horwich works last century, can be seen.

This engine worked non-stop for 66 years before being withdrawn from service in 1954.

And an extra bonus for Bolton visitors to the Museum is the tiny Wren, which operated on an 18-inch gauge track inside the Horwich works from 1887 until 1957.

Among the many jobs of this little engine was the distribution of the workers' wage packets.

There are numerous references to the Horwich Works throughout the Museum, including old photographs dating to the turn of the century.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.