The flying Sc0tsman , Back On Track

February 7, 2011 by TidiousTed

The legendary steam locomotive the Flying Scotsman is back on the rails after a three-year and a £1m restoration. The new restored 76-year-old express made its first run from its former King’s Cross home to York on 4th July 1999. Enthusiasts had to pay £350 each for the tickets.

Built in 1923, the Scotsman ran for 40 years on the London and North Eastern Railway to Scotland. Before it was withdrawn in 1963 it had completing some two million miles of service between London, Newcastle and Scotland. In 1934 it was the first locomotive to achieve an authenticated 100mph speed.

Since 1963 it has had a several private owners, including pop impresario Pete Waterman, but was finally left to decay in a shed. 43 years old Dr Tony Marchington from Oxfordshire, bought The Flying Scotsman for restoration in 1996 at a cost of £1.5m.

”There were many sceptics who doubted my determination and financial ability to complete the task," said Dr Marchington. "but there was no way I was prepared to let this magnificent example of Britain’s railway heritage fade away."

The old steam locomotive began taking shape again at the former Great Western Railway shed in west London. The work has been most extensive and expensive steam locomotive restoration ever undertaken in Britain.

A short History

Flying Scotsman is the most famous steam locomotive in the world and has always been a very distinguished and special locomotive since being built. It is now a national icon representing all that is best in British engineering.

Running between King’s Cross station in London and Edinburgh, Scotland, the Flying Scotsman was a luxury express train full of amenities. It featured a hairdressing salon, a Louis the XVI-style restaurant and bar, and, for a short time, a cinema coach.

The Flying Scotsman was built at Doncaster in 1923 to the design of rail mechanical engineer Sir Nigel Gresley. It was chosen to represent the latest in steam locomotive design at the British Empire Exhibitions in 1924 and 1925.

In 1928, 4472 was fitted with a unique corridor tender to enable it to haul the first non-stop train from King’s Cross to Edinburgh on 1st May. This was the longest non-stop run in the world.

When Flying Scotsman was withdrawn from BR service in 1963, Nottinghamshire businessman Alan Pegler bought it for £3,000. In 1968 an LP called Flying Scotsman included the sounds of the loco steaming its way along the tracks.

Over 70 similar locomotives were scrapped, leaving Flying Scotsman as the sole survivor of its class. From 1969 to 1972 Flying Scotsman toured the United States of America. In 1973 Flying Scotsman came home to continue working special trains on the main line.

Flying Scotsman played a key role in helping Australia celebrate her bicentennial in 1988 and 1989. During the course of her visit Flying Scotsman set a new world record for a non-stop run for steam by hauling a train for 422 miles from Parkes to Broken Hill in New South Wales,

Date	Milestone
7th February 1923	Debut appearance out the Doncaster Works as an A1 Class Works No. 1564, Running Number 1472, Cost £7,944.
22nd February 1923	On Display at Melborne Station.
24th February 1923	Enters service based at Doncaster.
2nd March 1924	Running number 4472.
23rd April – 1st November 1924	1st display at the Great Empire Exhibition at Wembley.
9th May – 31st October 1925	2nd Display at the Great Empire Exhibition at Wembley.
1st May 1928	1st non-stop run by "Flying Scotsman" train from Kings Cross London to Edinburgh. 392.7 miles in 8 hours and 3 minutes with 386 tons tare.
2nd May 1928	Return trip from Edinburgh to Kings Cross after overnight repairs on an overheating tender axlebox.
April 1928	Flying Scotsman co-starred in the first sound feature film "Flying Scotsman".
30th November 1934	High speed test run from Kings Cross to Leeds 185.8 miles in 151 minutes and 56 seconds with 145 tons tare. Leeds to Kings Cross 157 minutes 17 seconds with 205 tons tare. 1st authenticated 100mph for steam traction.
4th January 1947	Reclassified as A3 class after fitting of new boiler type. LNER Green Livery.
14th January 1963	Withdrawn from service after 2,076,000 miles.
26th March 1963	Overhaul, Livery LNER Green, Running number 4472.
16th April 1963	Sold to Alan Pegler for £3000.
1st May 1968	40th Anniversary run from Kings Cross to Edinburgh.
September 1969	Shipped to Boston America for the American Tour.
February 1973	Returned to UK after purchase by Sir William McAlpine.
August 1975	Appeared at appeared at Stockton and Darlington 150th Anniversary.
November 1977	Co-starred in the film "Agatha" with Dustin Hoffman and Vanessa Redgrave.
March to June 1980	Appeared at Liverpool & Manchester 150th Anniversary.
February 1983	Diamond Jubliee year celibrated with Special Runs.
20th November 1984	Hauled the Royal train carrying HM Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother.
September 1988	Shipped to Australia for the Austrialian Tour.
8th August 1989	World record non stop run by steam at 422 miles in 9 hours 25 minutes.
December 1989	Shipped back to UK.
April to July 1993	Major Overhaul Livery BR Green, Running number 60103.
21st September 1993	Pete Waterman becomes joint owner with Sir William McAlpine.
28th April 1995	Withdrawn from Service due to cracked firebox.
23rd February 1996	Purchased by Dr Tony Marchington for £1,250,000.
3rd May 1996	Start of the "Rolls Royce" restoration.
4th July 1999	First run from Kings Cross to York after restoration.