Scotsman on track to fly again as restoration nears end

IT IS the iconic locomotive that became an unmistakable symbol of the golden age of steam railways, and now the Flying Scotsman is almost back to its former glory.

A few months later than originally planned, the Scotsman’s restoration at the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York is expected to be complete by late spring next year.

Built in Doncaster for the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) in 1923, this A1 class locomotive was the most powerful used on the railways at the time.

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It attained legendary status as the first train to break the 100mph barrier on the London to Edinburgh service in 1934 and was the first to complete the journey non-stop.

And now, seven years after the museum raised £2m to buy the Scotsman, the finishing touches are being applied to its restoration.

Steve Davies, Director of the NRM, said: “The Flying Scotsman restoration is one of the most complex steam locomotive engineering projects of its kind ever undertaken in Britain and there is no doubt that it has been challenging.

“There have been a number of points where unforeseen issues have arisen that have caused the project to be delayed whilst options were considered and decisions were made.

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“Although the restoration has been ongoing for over 5 years, we are extremely close to seeing Flying Scotsman steaming once again.”

The Scotsman will be back in service hauling mainline rail tours next year.