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This year marks 100 years of The Flying Scotsman, a locomotive marvel that was the first train to reach 100mph on British railway lines. It enjoyed 40 years carrying travellers between England and Scotland. But these days a beloved national treasure, taking up residency at the National Railway Museum in York, where it has been a part of the collection since 2004.
To celebrate its 100th anniversary, The Railway Touring Company has teamed up with the National Railway Museum to take The Flying Scotsman around the country. ‘The Cheshireman’ is among this special programme of rail tours that will take The Flying Scotsman on the mainline through the Midlands this weekend (June 10). Including several stops near Birmingham.
Driving through Warwickshire and the East Midlands, after leaving from London Euston in the morning, it will call at three stations near Birmingham. The Flying Scotsman will stop at Northampton, Rugby and Nuneaton as part of its historic trip that will end at Chester. All three places are less than an hour away by either train or car, with Nuneaton only about a half-hour journey from Birmingham City Centre.
While the trip itself is fully booked up, you may be about to stop the legendary locomotive if you’re in the area. Taking the Northampton loop line where it will stop for passengers, it will continue northwards and pass the Daventry Railfreight Terminal (DIRFT) before rejoining the WCML at Rugby.
The train will then follow the Trent Valley Line to Nuneaton before passing through Lichfield and, soon after Rugeley, is Shugborough Tunnel. From there it will continue northwards through Stafford to Crewe where it will take the North Wales Coast Line to Chester. It will also make the return trip later in the afternoon, so trainspotters keep your eyes peeled.
The Flying Scotsman was built in Doncaster in 1923 and became the first locomotive of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway. The Railway Touring Company understand that there is considerable interest in seeing Flying Scotsman, but stresses that anyone wishing to see it should do so from a safe and permitted place. For safety, keep away from the railway line.
