Full steam ahead for glimpse of icon
THE famous Flying Scotsman will be back in Greater Manchester this year as part of a new national tour.
The steam locomotive will be making a number of passenger trips along the East Lancashire Railway, which runs between Heywood and Rawtenstall via Bury.
It will go on static display at Rawtenstall Station on March 10 and 11 in its first public outing of 2018, before making a number of journeys along the heritage railway throughout the year, on May 12 and 13, August 24 to 27, and September 5 to 8.
The locomotive will also be back on display at one of the railway’s stations over the Easter Weekend, from March 30 to April 2, and on September 9. The locations for these dates have yet to be confirmed. A spokeswoman for the East Lancashire Railway said: “We are really privileged to have it on as many dates as we’ve got. It’s a fantastic opportunity to let the people of the north west see this iconic feat of engineering.”
Built in 1923, The Flying Scotsman was the first locomotive to break the 100mph speed barrier. It recently underwent a painstaking ten-year £4.2m restoration project, which was finally completed in 2016 by Heywood-based engineering firm Riley & Co.
The locomotive’s owner, the National Railway Museum in York, has signed a six-year deal with the firm to operate and maintain it. Jim Lowe, head of operations at the National Railway Museum, said: “The Flying Scotsman is a true symbol of engineering excellence and continues to inspire and amaze crowds of people wherever it goes. “It is a fantastic ambassador for the National Railway Museum and we aim to give as many people as possible the chance to see this legend of the steam age.” Its 2018 tour will also see it visit Scotland, the Lake District, the Chiltern Hills, the North Downs and the Yorkshire countryside. For a full list of tour dates, visit flyingscotsman. org.uk Jim Lowe, National Railway Museum