A steam locomotive comes home

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Here is the locomotive you've all been waiting for!
It has finally come to rest beside the 1915 Ottoman Turkish Beer Sheva train station.

Isn't it a beauty?!

Just outside the newly-restored but not yet officially opened train yard is Atatürk Plaza.
You can see the bust of Atatürk and the obelisk commemorating the 298 Turkish soldiers who were killed on the Beer Sheva front in World War I.
See more about this in my post about the annual Australian Light Horse Commemoration Day. 

During Sukkot holiday the compound was open for just a few days.
Engine 70414 Compound guides were proud and excited to explain the history and also about the restoration work.
Site director Chen, in the photo, said their crew was stoked whenever a train-washing day came around, like after a muddy rain.   (Well, she didn't use the work stoked but I think it is appropriate for a coal-burning steam engine.)

In the coming posts I will try to explain how and why this steam engine had a circuitous route, from England to Palestine, through the Suez Canal to Turkey, to Great Britain, and finally back to Beer Sheva.
It is a long story and involves a secret operation.
But meanwhile I'd like you simply to feast your eyes on 70414 and enjoy!
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(Linking to Our World Tuesday.)
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