LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman
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 Flying Scotsman in 2003. Despite the LNER livery, the prominent German-style smoke deflectors and double chimney are BR-era features. | |||||||||||||||
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- This article is about the locomotive the "Flying Scotsman". For the passenger service, see Flying Scotsman (train).
The LNER Class A3 Pacific locomotive number 4472 "Flying Scotsman" (originally no. 1472) was built in 1923 for the London and North Eastern Railway at Doncaster Works to a design of Sir Nigel Gresley. The locomotive was later renumbered to 103, then 60103 by British Railways following nationalisation. It was employed on express trains on the East Coast Main Line from London King's Cross to Doncaster, Leeds, York, Newcastle-upon-Tyne or Edinburgh. It was commonly employed on the Flying Scotsman service, its namesake, from London to Edinburgh. In its career, the Flying Scotsman has travelled 2,000,000 miles (3,200,000 km).
It ended service with British Railways in 1963, and was sold to preservation, initially to Alan Pegler who saved the locomotive from being scrapped. It is frequently referred to as the most famous steam locomotive in the world. It has been on tour in the USA and also Australia, as part of the country's bicentenary celebrations in 1988.
In recent years, the Flying Scotsman has had an eventful existence. In 1995 the locomotive was in pieces and was facing an uncertain future at Southall depot in West London due to the enormous cost of restoration and refurbishment necessary to meet the stringent engineering standards required for main line operation today. Salvation came in 1996, when Dr. Tony Marchington purchased the Flying Scotsman and restored it to running condition at a cost of some £750,000.
In 2004 the Flying Scotsman was for put up for sale, following mounting debt of its owning company. After a high profile campaign, it was purchased by the National Railway Museum in York in April 2004 and is now part of the national collection. It was seen passing through the halt at Tackley on its way. Unfortunately it broke down before reaching York and had to be recovered by a Class 47 on loan from West Coast Railways. As of 2006, Flying Scotsman is undergoing a major 18 month overhaul at the NRM; she is due to resume running services in late 2007.
Flying Scotsman has also been featured in The Railway Series by Rev .W. Awdry. He visited the fictional Island of Sodor to see his only remaining brother, Gordon the Big Engine.
The Flying Scotsman is featured in the PC game Microsoft Train Simulator.
During its period of British main line service the Flying Scotsman could travel the 633 kilometres from London to Edinburgh in 8 hours non-stop, with water replenishment using the water trough system.
External links
- Photo: from Gresley Society
- BBC "Nation on Film" article with historic films of the Flying Scotsman in steam.
