Full steam ahead for Flying Scotsman's UK tour

The prodigal engine returned to York yesterday following its 10-year long £4.2m restoration and will be on public display at the National Railway Museum until March 6 before embarking on a long-awaited national tour.

The tour kicks off with a series of journeys across the North Yorkshire Moors between March 12 and 20, and then travels the length and breadth of the country until mid-July.

Seats on most of the trips are already sold out but a handful of tickets remain, although the prices will test the pocket depths of even the most dedicated steam enthusiasts.

On May 14, return tickets aboard the Flying Scotsman from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh - the journey which made the locomotive famous - cost £629 per person, which includes champagne breakfast, tea, coffee, pastries and a four-course dinner on return leg.

As the train will be powered by a diesel locomotive between London and York in both directions, the £499 cost of a return ticket from York to enjoy the full splendour of steam power is an absolute snip.

Admission to the National Railway Museum to see the stationary Flying Scotsman is free but the museum has a host of special access events which carry a modest charges, including four photography events this weekend.

A ‘Starring Scotsman’ exhibition examines the ups and downs of the locomotive’s rollercoaster celebrity career and a six-week display in the Great Hall will tell the story of the luxury service between London and Edinburgh route throughout the eras, from the 1890s through to the swinging sixties.

Visitors will be able to get on board the cabs of four locomotives that hauled the iconic train which departed at 10am from the two capitals, carrying business and leisure travellers.

Steam fans can also immerse themselves in the glamour and allure of the world’s longest–established express train throughout the ages with a ground-breaking ticketed exhibition.

Jamie Taylor, who is working on the two headline exhibitions at the York site said: “Service with Style’ uses three carriages of the kind that travelled the Flying Scotsman route to create a sensory experience. Using set dressing, film and audio it will tell a story of speed, innovation, fame and luxury right up to the present day with the modern London to Edinburgh service run by Virgin Trains East Coast.

“The flagship Flying Scotsman service is known for innovations like the cinema car, cocktail bar and hairdressing salon and all of this along with continual publicity stunts helped it grab the headlines from the very first mention of the ‘Flying Scotchman’ in 1864, and long before the loco that took its name was built in 1923.

“Visitors will embark on a fascinating journey with each carriage giving a different sensory experience, using a variety of methods including archive newsreel footage to evoke the opulence of each era.”

The season’s finishing flourish will be the chance to see Flying Scotsman in light steam at a sixties-style ‘Shed Bash’ at the National Railway Museum site at Shildon, County Durham. Throughout the season, there will a family-friendly Scotsman science show on the theme of speed, craft activities during the school holidays, a schedule of photography events, and a programme of fascinating talks.

‘Stunts Speed and Style’ and ‘Service with Style’ run from March 25 to May 8. Starring Scotsman runs from February to June 19 For more information about Flying Scotsman Season click here

The Flying Scotman’s tour dates are as follows:

March 12-20 North Yorkshire Moors Railway

May 10 London King’s Cross to Newcastle

May 14-17 Flying Scotsman to Edinburgh

May 15 The Borders and Fife

May 19 York to Kings Cross

May 21 London to Salisbury

May 21 Salisbury circular

May 25 London to Ely. Ely to Norwich

May 28 London to Bath, Bristol to Taunton

June 1 Victoria circular – Chilterns Lunchtime Tour

June 1 Victoria circular – Surrey Hills Evening Tour

June 4 London Victoria to York via Midland Mainline

June 5-8 Cambrian Coast Express

June 11 Cleethorpes to Morpeth via York and Newcastle

June 15 London Euston to Holyhead

June 18 Kings Cross to York and return

June 25 London Victoria to York via Midland Mainline

July 2 Northumberland

July 10 York to Carlisle via Settle and Ribblehead Viaduct

July 17 York to Carlisle via Settle and Ribblehead Viaduct

August 7 York to Carlisle via Settle and Ribblehead Viaduct

August 14 York to Carlisle via Settle and Ribblehead Viaduct

August 21 York to Carlisle via Settle and Ribblehead Viaduct

September 4 York to Carlisle via Settle and Ribblehead Viaduct

September 11 York to Carlisle via Settle and Ribblehead Viaduct

September 22-25 Severn Valley Railway