What’s next for the main line?

Flying Scotsman isn’t just any steam locomotive it’s one that resonates with people and, after ten years and an estimated £4.2 million spent on restoration, its longawaited return is cause for celebration. But once the hype surrounding its return dies down, one question remains: what next? Many enthusiasts will find it hard to reconcile the money and resources devoted to reviving it, particularly when there are dozens of other locomotives in need of heavy overhaul. Why should millions of taxpayers’ money be devoted to one particular locomotive? Why, for instance, has the NRM’s LMS ‘8P’ No. 6229 Duchess of Hamilton not been considered? What about Mallard or Evening Star? Is it time the NRM turned its attention to some of the other exhibits in its care? The ‘A3’s’ current ‘ticket’ might be its last. Would it not make sense to overhaul No. 6229 to main line condition? Steam Railway readers gave generously towards the re-streamlining of the ‘Duchess’ and it would be remiss to let these efforts remain confined to York. Then there’s the speed record holder Mallard. It has been parked up at York for 28 years now. Engineering surveys have shown that it is in good mechanical order, and with the UK’s three other ‘A4s’ now starting to show their age, it’s clear that there’s room for another one. In seven years’ time, in 2023, the Doncasterbuilt Flying Scotsman will celebrate its centenary, so how much money, time and effort can realistically be spent to keep it running before it goes on static display? If that does happen, the NRM needs another celebrity locomotive to carry the torch for preservation.