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Flying Scotsman

(13 Posts)
tanith Sun 10-Jan-16 12:18:13

Thanks for all those nice experiences, Steam trains sure do bring back happy memories for most of us. There is a website where you can see where the Scotsman is going to be all through this year.

crun Sun 10-Jan-16 12:04:53

I saw it in August 2005, when it went past the level crossing on Strenshall common as I was cycling from Helmsley to York. Later in the afternoon a couple of blokes walked in the dorm at York hostel and said "We've just been for a ride on the Flying Scotsman".

The matt black is LNER wartime livery, they're repainting it in BR Brunswick Green later this year, apparently. I think I prefer it in LNER Apple Green though. I don't recall seeing the smoke deflectors before, but perhaps I just haven't noticed them.

M0nica Sun 10-Jan-16 11:49:14

Yes, it ran from Kings Cross. I caught it, in the very early 60s when at university in Newcastle. As Ii remember it left Kings Cross at 10.00am.

henetha Sun 10-Jan-16 11:30:28

Did it used to travel from London to Edinburgh in the eary 1950's ?
I think I went on it. Or certainly on a similar steam train. And I remember it was wonderful and I loved it.

harrigran Sun 10-Jan-16 11:10:03

Steam trains were always a big part of my life, my father built working models and ran them in a local park. Photo shows three of his engines, my sisters and I have given them to a club so that children can enjoy them.
I would love to travel on the Flying Scotsman. DH says that the trains don't sound right because of modern tracks and I bet you don't get the lovely sooty smoke that we did in the 50s.

Bellasnana Sun 10-Jan-16 11:00:45

We used to visit my grandparents every school holiday and traveling by steam train was all part of the fun. On more than one occasion, we went on the Flying Scotsman from Chester to York. I can still remember the thrill of it all and the lovely, distinctive smell. Happy days ?

annodomini Sun 10-Jan-16 10:42:22

I used to travel from Edinburgh to London to visit relatives in England in the days of steam and it was always a thrill to see The Flying Scotsman waiting for me at Waverley Station.

Teetime Sun 10-Jan-16 10:25:54

I understand the Flying Scot is coming to Melton Mowbray on 4th June 2016.

Anniebach Sun 10-Jan-16 09:39:24

I would be content to sit in it for just one mile, so much of my childhood involved this beautiful train, jigsaw puzzles, my first bicycle had to be green , the record played on the radio , playing with my brother-cousin's Hornby railway and him allowing me to blow the whistle to start the run. I am going to work a cross stitch kit of this beautiful machine , I just love seeing it again

Ginny42 Sun 10-Jan-16 08:20:38

My grandson is mad about trains and I'm hoping to book a trip in the summer for his 8th birthday. I was looking at this site and it does say a diesel from London to York, but he would love that too.

&DB=SteamDreams&Division=Asteamdreams.co.uk/Executables/GT410WebContent.exe?&ActionCode=flyingscotsman&SS=SDSVR01&DB=SteamDreams&Division=A

I was born in Bury, so it was nostalgic to see it was restored there. We saw it in the Museum in York when it was in a sorry state and yesterday it looked magnificent even in it's black undercoat. It's fully booked all this weekend and next, but I may go and take some photographs.

Perhaps you could just pick up the train in York?

absent Sun 10-Jan-16 05:43:06

This is often the case when steam locomotives are involved. There are many reasons, such as the line is not certified or licensed for a steam locomotive, the line may not be safe all the way, some of the old bridges, of which there are many, may not be up to snuff and so on.

I would guess that the package is cheaper than travelling from London to York separately so it's probably not an option.

I hope you have a lovely time. (Absenthusband is also a great steam buff and waxes lyrical about a number of steam locomotives that he has seen or has travelled behind – or even watched being restored or, in one instance, built from scratch – since he was a little boy in the town where it all started.)

rubylady Sun 10-Jan-16 03:13:28

It'd still be worth it just to say that you had had the experience of being on it. Will they be serving tea onboard? What a lovely treat. Enjoy, I am envious. smile

tanith Sat 09-Jan-16 23:13:47

OH loves steam trains and when he found out the Flying Scotsman was back on the tracks was keen to take one of the trips advertised. We decided to book a 3 day trip to Edinburgh from Kings X in May (arranging our own accommodation) rang up to ask a few questions then I was going to book it online. Then I was reading the info about the trip only to find that the part of the journey from Kings X to York the train is pulled by a diesel engine , the Scotsman only pulling the train from York which I think is about halfway.

For the price they are asking we really thought the whole journey would be by the Flying Scotsman.. quite a disappoinment .

Just a bit of a vent on my part.