Details of Flying Scotsman's longed-for visit to birthplace Doncaster are released - with locomotive to stay at Freightliner Railport

The locomotive’s owners the National Railway Museum have agreed to a two-day free event for the public at the Railport terminal this November.

Ticket-holders will be able to step onto the footplate of the engine, which was built at the LNER’s Doncaster Works in 1923.

Mayor Ros Jones lobbied for the visit after Doncaster was missed off the itinerary for the year of rail tours and residencies on heritage lines, despite the Scotsman’s strong local connections.

In July the NRM arranged for the Scotsman to make a brief stop at Doncaster Station while it was returning to York from a charter excursion – the first time it had called at the station since the early 1980s.

Freightliner, the company which manages the Railport close to the city centre, has agreed to host the locomotive as the site has easy access to the East Coast Main Line and the engine can be displayed without disrupting regular rail traffic.

The event will take place on the weekend of November 11-12 and ticket information will soon be made available.

Mayor Jones said: “I am delighted that we can now announce this wonderful weekend event so more people in Doncaster can appreciate the magnificence and history of this world-famous locomotive.

“Flying Scotsman was built here in Doncaster and means a great deal to local people whose relatives helped to design and build it. It will be incredible to see it return home for an extended stay as part of its centenary year.

“I want to acknowledge and thank the organisations who have helped to make this event a reality - especially the National Railway Museum, Freightliner and locomotive engineers Riley & Son (E).”

Freightliner Terminals managing director Nick Matthews added: “We are delighted to be able to support this event, allowing the global railway icon Flying Scotsman to be on display to the local community.”

During its operational heyday, the Scotsman regularly called at Doncaster while hauling services between London and Edinburgh – passing the Plant Works where it was manufactured, then one of the city’s biggest employers.