Chuffed with chuff-chuff visit
People from across Stirling turned out on Sunday for a visit by one of the iconic trains from the golden age of steam.
People headed to the rail tracks just after 8pm as the Flying Scotsman thundered through on an excursion which started and finished in Edinburgh.
It was the York-based historic engine’s second trip to Scotland since it was restored at a cost of £4.2 million. Designed by Sir Nigel Gresley, the train was built at Doncaster and completed in February, 1923 .
It was in November, 1943, the train became the first steam engine authenticated at travelling at 100mph. It was, however, withdrawn from service in 1963.
The train left Waverley on Sunday morning to travel over the Forth Bridge and through Inverkeithing, Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes , Cowdenbeath, Dumfermline and back to Edinburgh.
Later that day, the engine pulled out of Edinburgh for a journey through Fife Alloa, Stirling and Linlithgow and back to Edinburgh.
About 800 passengers booked trips on the two excursions.
Mindful of the public interest in the Flying Scotsman, additional staff were deployed at key stations and along the engine’s route to make sure spectators stayed safe. And the Network Rail helicopter was deployed to scan for trespassers.
Enthusiasts, cameras and phones primed, were in Stirling’s Lovers Walk and Dean Crescent as the engine crossed the Forth.
Others, similarly equipped, watched from other vantage points, including the Spiky Bridge, as the Flying Scotsman thundered into Stirling Station.
Here are some of those pictures taken by readers of the train’s memorable visit.