In the early hours of the morning engineers prepare to light the fire of the giant of British railways, the Flying Scotsman © Paul Kingston / NNP © North News & Pictures Ltd
These photos capture the moment Flying Scotsman returned to steam for the first time in a decade
It was a cold, damp morning in January 2016 when locomotive 447, more commonly known as Flying Scotsman, emerged from its engine shed.
Attended by a small army of engineers, railway enthusiasts and press photographers the locomotive’s boilers were soon firing and steam was pluming from its funnel. Then, after some last minute adjustments, its pistons once again began to move the famous loco along the tracks.
Departing from Bury’s Bolton Street Station in its black undercoat, the legendary Scotsman was embarking on a series of weekend test runs to mark the completion of a painstaking £4.2 million restoration project by specialist engineers at Riley and Son Ltd, appointed by the York-based National Railway Museum who own the engine.
© Paul Kingston / NNP © North News & Pictures Ltd
© Paul Kingston / NNP © North News & Pictures Ltd
© Paul Kingston / NNP © North News & Pictures Ltd
© Paul Kingston / NNP © North News & Pictures Ltd
© Paul Kingston / NNP © North News & Pictures Ltd
The test runs took place along 12 miles of the East Lancashire Railway near to the restoration workshops in Bury.
Scotsman then headed back out onto the tracks with Riley & Son Ltd managing the operation of the locomotive for the first two years.
‘Scotsman on the Tracks’ began with a spell on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (March 12 – 20) before undertaking more than twenty further appearances across the UK over the summer 2016.
© Paul Kingston / NNP © North News & Pictures Ltd
© Paul Kingston / NNP © North News & Pictures Ltd
© Paul Kingston / NNP © North News & Pictures Ltd
© Paul Kingston / NNP © North News & Pictures Ltd
© Paul Kingston / NNP © North News & Pictures Ltd
For full details including timetable and booking details visit http://nrm.org.uk/flyingscotsman/scotsman-season.aspx
venue
National Railway Museum
York, North Yorkshire
The National Railway Museum is in York houses the world's greatest collection of railway items. This includes the record-breaking Mallard, the iconic Japanese Bullet Train and a stunning collection of Royal Trains The museum is part of the Science Museum Group and is free to enter. With daily demonstrations and…