Police find the �12,000 steam engine after raiding a house in Edgware

A Kingsbury pensioner has been left ‘delighted’ after a �12,000 locomotive, which was stolen from his garden shed was recovered.

The dark green 70004 Britannia Class, which belonged to 85-year-old William Stellar, was stolen overnight between March 10 and March 11 from his home in Wood Lane.

However, officers found the engine, which Mr Stellar spent five years constructing, after searching a house in Edgware, last week.

Delighted Mr Stellar described the engine as his ‘pride and joy.’

He told the Times: “I couldn’t believe it when I was told it had been found; I never thought I would see it again.

“I am very grateful to everyone for their help in trying to find it, the fact that it took only a week to find after I thought it would be gone for good is amazing.”

As of today, no arrests have been made.

The fully working steam engine, which had William Shakespeare written in gold across the side, was often used at the Harrow and Wembley Model Engineers Club.

The club, in Roxbourne Park, Ruislip offers miniature train rides to guests.

However, Mr Stellar said he would need to perform some minor repairs on it before it would be ready to take to the tracks again.

He said: “I will need to do a bit of work on it because there are a few parts missing but more than anything I am just delighted to be reunited with it.”

A spokesman for Brent Police said: “No arrests have been made and enquiries continue.”