The exhibition features guest appearances from other locomotives that ran on the Flying Scotsman route, like this Stirling Single. Photo courtesy NRM
It is the world’s most famous steam locomotive and now its illustrious history is celebrated in a new exhibition at the National Railway Museum in York.
The Flying Scotsman Story opened on April 5 2006 and is a new permanent feature at the museum, telling the tale of the engine and of the people whose lives it has touched.
“Flying Scotsman’s tale is one of brilliance, dedication and triumph over adversity,” said Andrew Scott, Head of the National Railway Museum. “When the museum bought this historic locomotive for the nation, we knew our plans for an exhibition to tell its story would have to be something pretty special.”
The exhibition includes rare film footage along the Flying Scotsman’s route, a 1930s buffet car showing how people dined on its passenger service, personal stories of those linked with the locomotive and guest appearances by other famous engines from the national collection.
The Flying Scotsman locomotive was acquired by the National Railway museum in 2004 and is being overhauled at their public workshop. David Prudames © 24 Hour Museum
“Utilising state of the art interactive displays we have brought together stories about the train, the route and the engine – from the man who designed the locomotive, the crews who ran it and the people who admire it to the modern day service now operated by GNER.”
The Flying Scotsman is both the name of the rail service between London and Edinburgh and more famously the steam locomotive that first went into service on that route in 1923.
It made its first non-stop run from King’s Cross to Edinburgh Waverley in 1929 covering the 392 mile journey on one tender of coal. In 1934 it achieved the first officially recorded 100mph speed by a steam train.
After the abandonment of steam traction from the mid 1950s the engine was taken out of service and bought by a private buyer in 1963. The Flying Scotsman was taken on a tour of America to promote British Trade in 1969 and Anna Oates, Tania Cox and Julia Stewart were part of the promotional team.
Anna Oates, Tania Cox and Julia Stewart who had toured with the locomotive in 1969 helped to open the exhibition. Photo courtesy NRM
Less than one month into the 1969 tour its promoter stopped trading and the women and the locomotive were stranded until a new backer was found. The three women were reunited at the opening of the exhibition and sipped a specially prepared Flying Scotsman cocktail based on its original 1920s recipe.
In 2004 the locomotive was bought by the National Railway Museum for the nation and is currently undergoing a major overhaul in the museum’s public workshop. The on going work can be viewed by visitors to the museum and it will return to active duty towards the end of 2007.
The Flying Scotsman Story is the first stage of the National Railway Museum’s NRM+ project, a long-term plan to create new interpretation and orientation facilities.
To make your own Flying Scotsman cocktail you need: 25ml light Scotch, 20ml Midori, 10ml dry sherry, 25ml green apple juice. Shake and decorate with a cape gooseberry and serve in a chilled Martini glass.
