Puffing along and spluttering a cloud of smoke into the air, a 1920s steam traction engine hauled the Train from Spain across Cumbria.

Hundreds of people gathered along the route from Carlisle to Ravenglass to witness the historic journey at the weekend.

It saw steam traction engine Providence tow the Krauss locomotive No.8457 - renamed Whillan Beck - from the Direct Rail Services Charity Open Day at Kingmoor, Carlisle, back to the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.

It was a journey that commemorated the delivery of the River Mite locomotive more than half a century ago, which was also towed by Providence - now owned by brothers Howard and Barry Stafford after their father.

"It's a continuity for them and for us," said Tom Whitebread, train driver at the narrow gauge railway and fundraising lead for the Train from Spain campaign.

"It's raising awareness of the railway and the engine we are getting and hopefully raising funds.

"It is probably the first big public viewing it has had.

"There is still work to be done and the next opportunity to view it will probably be October.

"A lot of people came out. I have seen a lot of coverage on Facebook and social media."

It was a long, challenging and unpredictable journey. The engine left Carlisle at about 4.45pm on Saturday for Workington, where it stopped off overnight.

The evening run to west Cumbria was said to be dramatic, with many challenges to overcome for Howard and Barry. They arrived in Workington well after midnight after a gruelling slog by the Providence crew which came to an end at Crosby at about 11pm.

Providence soldiered on to Workington alone while the support lorry - a vintage Scamell - collected the Train From Spain.

Its second leg of the journey from Workington to Ravenglass on Sunday took more than five hours.

The route passed Aspatria, Maryport, Flimby, Bigrigg, Egremont and Holmrook.

Photographer Jan Fialkowski, of Cleator Moor, was keen to document the occasion and captured the traction engine chugging past Carlisle Castle.

He said: "I thought about where could I go that was going to be an iconic photograph.

"I realised it was going to be coming through Carlisle and thought it was going to be worth capturing.

"It was quite interesting to watch."

The Spanish train was brought to the Lake District from its former home in Mataró, near Barcelona, in at the start of the year, after a successful fundraising campaign by the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society.

The £126,000 restoration to bring it back into service for the first time in 85 years is underway and it's hoped to be ready for an October launch when sister engines from Munich and Germany will be brought in for the occasion.

The 15in gauge locomotive, which was built in Munich to work at the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929, is being brought up to specification and will run on the La'al Ratty line once fully restored.

Rail enthusiasts named the train Whillan Beck, after the water course which passes under the railway at its Dalegarth terminus.

They will also change its colour scheme to Caledonian Railway blue. The train was originally called Pinta after one of Columbus’ three ships, and is currently red in colour.

It's hoped the new identity will draw more tourists to the line and cement its place among the stock of trains at Ravenglass and Eskdale.

Mr Whitbread said they are always interested to hear from people who want to help with the restoration.

Roadside supporters helped to raise £101.15 towards the continued restoration of the Train from Spain.

To donate to the Train From Spain Appeal visit www.trainfromspain.org/donate