An iconic steam engine will recreate a historic crossing of the Tamar to signal the start of one of Cornwall’s biggest annual events.

In 1962, the machine was the first steam engine to cross the river when the modern road bridge opened.

Now the 108-year-old Burrell General Purpose Traction Engine ‘Keeling’ will make a return to Cornwall on Thursday, July 27, crossing the Tamar Bridge at 2.30pm on its way to Boconnoc Steam Fair held in the grounds of the country estate near Lostwithiel.

The fair, now in its 19th year, will take place over the weekend of July 28-30 with more than 60 full-size steam engines expected over the three days.

The work to get the event on has been building up for the last six months and spokesperson James Venning said he was looking forward to the start: ‘We have lived and breathed this event as it gets closer and it looks like being one of the biggest in recent memory with a wide variety of steam engines, tractor rides and classic cars as part of more than 800 exhibits across the showground.

‘The arrival of the Keeling engine only adds to the spectacle with its historic link to the Tamar Bridge.’