The Flying Scotsman Completes its Inaugural run , Beauty in Steam

After a 10 year restoration project costing over £4 Million the Scotsman has hit the tracks to complete it's Inaugural run from London to York giving all along the way the opportunity to see this great steam engine as it should be seen.



The Flying Scotsman will be going on tour later this year and luckily will be visiting a station near me , I'm not a train spotter but this is a machine I want to see , there are trains , then there are steam trains and then there is The Flying Scotsman , history in metal beauty in Steam.

a reply to: gortex

Closest to me is Taunton in May, sold out to do the ride from Bristol, but be good to see it with my own eyes, I might take a trip up.

Saying that, its nearly completely sold out for 2016 already, shows how many people think the same!
www.flyingscotsman.org.uk...

a reply to: grainofsand

Train guy here don't be shy about videos and pictures!!

a reply to: mikell

Ah, no problem, I'm hoping Taunton station will allow close access, if not actually on the train, and I'll certainly be taking my camera.

a reply to: grainofsand

I think it would be worth seeing mate even if you can't get aboard to experience the journey , aside from it being an iconic name the Scotsman also reminds us of a time gone by when life was slower , simpler and transport much prettier.

I love technology but there is a part of me that hankers for those days.

a reply to: gortex

Agreed, I intend to spend a day in Taunton now, haven't been there since I fell asleep and woke up there years ago on a train from Plymouth, then sat shivering on the platform for a few hours from 2am until the next train South lol.

There are a couple of working steam railway lines here in South Devon so I almost take seeing them for granted as I travel past them, but when up close and they are pulling out of the stations, ah wow, that deep base sound as they chuff their way off, fantastic.
If it travels further SW in the future then I'll certainly try get a ticket.

a reply to: gortex

Very cool. I always liked the Scotsman.

We have a similar scenario here as Union Pacific is in the process of restoring the mammoth 4014, which last ran in 1959, to join its steam program:

Steam engines in general are machines that should never be done away with...and steam locomotives in particular should be available for sensory pleasure to all.

I dont remember off the top of my head...but as I remember it there was a steam engine in Europe that powered a factory for over 100 yrs and then it was only removed because of inefficency and not because it was worn out. I think those stationary steam engines were of such robust design that they could literally be kept running forever with only occasional upkeep. Much unlike todays machines..

With engines like that your great great grandchildren could literally enjoy the benefits of the same machine that you did...there is something comforting about the permanence of such things.

PS...the fact that they can easily be run off of bio mass fuel makes them even more appealing

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I was able to get an up close inspection of a Big Boy in Omaha...you have probably been there ? There is also a DDA40X sitting near it..both very impressive machines. But the Big Boy is more so in my opinion.

originally posted by: HarryJoy
I was able to get an up close inspection of a Big Boy in Omaha...you have probably been there ? There is also a DDA40X sitting near it..both very impressive machines. But the Big Boy is more so in my opinion.

Not since they reacquired the 4014. I have been on the 3985, 844 and 6936 excursions and toured the Cheyenne roundhouse. I will add the 4014 on my list of trips I want to take.

You have to feel sorry for this enthusiast after a Virgin train photobombed the Flying Scotsman. The good news is that Virgin are flying him to the US to see a US rail network.



www.dailymail.co.uk...

There is something about steam engines that gets into your soul. Whether they are rail, static or marine engines, they all have a rythm that other forms of power lack.

I do have to declare that Deltics are my favourite trains to signal though. The sound they make is awesome, and they don't set the embankments on fire

Last I read, the south African railways very wisely moth balled all their steam locomotives, anyone know anything else?
Those bayer-garrets are the strangest looking engines I can think off...

a reply to: pikestaff

Got to agree with you there.


Beasty in steam.

Gah if I had known I would have bumped my trip to york by a week just to get to check it out...

Oh well.. glad to see her running .