UK: Flying Scotsman Travels from London to York

Image courtesy of Chris Ratcliffe/Virgin Trains East Coast

The iconic Flying Scotsman steam locomotive is making its way from London King’s Cross to York to go on display at the National Railway Museum. The run follows a decade long, £4.2million restoration job.

Arguably the most famous train in the world, the type LNER Class A3 Pacific steam locomotive No. 4472, 60103, known more commonly as the Flying Scotsman, made its inaugural run in 1923. It was the first steam engine to have reached a speed of 100 miles per hour in 1934, and also set the record for longest non-stop run in 1989 when it travelled for 422 miles in Australia. It was retired from regular passenger services in 1963, but toured Australia , Canada and the United States in the sixties, seventies and eighties.

Following decades languishing in private ownership, the Scotsman was purchased by the National Railway Museum in 2004. The restoration works included being fitted with the only remaining original A3 boiler and a new coat of paint in its recognisable green livery.

Enthusiasm to see the Scotsman has been high, with services disrupted by trespassers on the track, trying to photograph the engine at close quarters, and trending on social media all day under the hashtags #FlyingScotsman and the perfectly English #ChuffedtoBits.