LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman

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This article is about the locomotive the "Flying Scotsman". For the passenger service, see Flying Scotsman (train).

The LNER Class A3 Pacific locomotive number 4472 "Flying Scotsman" (originally no. 1472) was built in 1923 for the London and North Eastern Railway at Doncaster Works to a design of Sir Nigel Gresley. The locomotive was later renumbered to 103, then 60103 by British Railways following nationalisation. It was employed on express trains on the East Coast Main Line from London King's Cross to Doncaster, Leeds, York, Newcastle-upon-Tyne or Edinburgh. It was commonly employed on the Flying Scotsman service, its namesake, from London to Edinburgh. In its career, the Flying Scotsman has travelled 2,000,000 miles (3,200,000 km).

During its period of British main line service the Flying Scotsman could travel the 633 kilometres from London to Edinburgh in 8 hours non-stop, with water replenishment using the water trough system.

Contents

1 Early preservation
2 Recent history
3 In fiction
4 Gallery
5 External links

Early preservation

It ended service with British Railways in 1963, and was sold to preservation, initially to Alan Pegler who saved the locomotive from being scrapped. It is frequently referred to as the most famous steam locomotive in the world. It has been on tour in the USA and also Australia, as part of the country's bicentenary celebrations in 1988.

Recent history

In recent years, the Flying Scotsman has had an eventful existence. In 1995 the locomotive was in pieces and was facing an uncertain future at Southall depot in West London due to the enormous cost of restoration and refurbishment necessary to meet the stringent engineering standards required for main line operation today. Salvation came in 1996, when Dr. Tony Marchington purchased the Flying Scotsman and restored it to running condition at a cost of some £750,000.

In 2004 the Flying Scotsman was for put up for sale, following mounting debt of its owning company. After a high profile campaign, it was purchased by the National Railway Museum in York in April 2004 and is now part of the national collection. It was seen passing through the halt at Tackley on its way. Unfortunately it broke down before reaching York and had to be recovered by a Class 37 on loan from West Coast Railways. As of 2006, Flying Scotsman is undergoing a major 18 month overhaul at the NRM; she is due to resume running services in late 2007.

In fiction

Flying Scotsman has been featured in The Railway Series by Rev .W. Awdry. He visited the fictional Island of Sodor to see his only remaining brother, Gordon the Big Engine.

The Flying Scotsman is featured in the PC game Microsoft Train Simulator. The locomotive is also included in the 2006 edition of Trainz Railroad Simulator.

Gallery

Side-on view.

"Flying Scotsman" at Leamington Spa, Warwickshire UK. Oct. 2005

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

[media]

[National Railway Museum's section about the Flying Scotsman]
[Photo: from Gresley Society]
[BBC "Nation on Film"] article with historic films of the Flying Scotsman in steam.

[http://encycl.opentopia.com/ edit ] Locomotives of the London and North Eastern Railway
	Pre-grouping railway designs
Great Central Railway:	A5 - B18 - D11 - O4
Great Eastern Railway:	B12 - E4 - J15 - J17 - J69 - N7 - Y5
Great North of Scotland Railway:	D40
Great Northern Railway:	C1 - C2 - J6 - J52 - K3 - N2
North British Railway:	D34 - J36 - Y9
North Eastern Railway:	B16 - E5 - D17 - J21 - J27 - J72 - Q6 - Q7 - X1 - Y7
	LNER designs
Gresley:	A1 - A3 - A4 - A8 - B17 -D49 - J38 - J39 - J50 - K4 - P1 - P2 - U1 - V1 - V2 - V3 - V4 - W1
Thompson:	A2 - B1 - B2 - K1 - K5 - L1 - O1 - Q1
Peppercorn:	A1 - A2 - K1

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