Thanks to the efforts of the numerous, dedicated enthusiasts there are more than 300 preserved heritage mainline locomotives in the UK. These people work on a volunteer basis and devote enormous amounts of time and effort to help preserve these classic machines.
These locomotives can be seen at the many private railways across the country. They are in various states of repair from operational and certified for use on the national mainline to others requiring years of restoration work. Those fitted with the mandatory electronic equipment to allow for their operation on the national mainline are sometimes used for railtours and land cruises for a variety of train operators.