A milestone in railway history was made when the Flying Scotsman, arguably the most famous locomotive in the world, made its official return to Britain’s tracks on the 25th February. The milestone event marked the completion of a decade-long £4.2m restoration project to bring a legend back to life.
The landmark journey down the East Coast Mainline was the locomotive’s first passenger-carrying outing after the end of its thorough testing and commissioning process, showing that it is officially back on Britain’s railway network after a full decade out of service. The beloved steam engine stormed down its old stamping ground between London King’s Cross and York, reaching speeds of 75mph.
London King’s Cross station was the perfect setting for the departure of the 11-carriage train, headed up by the celebrity locomotive. The historic run took place in the week that marks the anniversary of the British-built icon being ‘out-shopped’ from Doncaster Works after it was built in 1923.
The original steam legend Flying Scotsman was given a warm welcome home to the City of York, with crowds turning out in force to see its lunchtime arrival at York station. Fans at the National Railway Museum witnessed Scotsman’s triumphant arrival in steam into the Museum’s North Yard viewing area, carrying its new BR Green livery and nameplates for the first time.
Sir Peter Hendy, Chairman of Network Rail, said: “It’s great to see this magnificent symbol of Britain’s railway heritage and technology once again running on our tracks. Since this engine was making its regular trips from London to Edinburgh the journey time has halved, frequency quadrupled and the levels of service and comfort are incomparable. Today, as then, the railways are playing a vital role in economic growth, creating jobs and building homes in Britain.”
Flying Scotsman’s celebrity status was established when it was named after the renowned luxury passenger train service between London and Edinburgh, which was first referred to as The Flying Scotchman in 1875 and showcased at the Wembley Empire Exhibition in 1924.
