The Swanage Railway has announced that the daughter of the man who saved Flying Scotsman from the scrapyard is to wave off its first train on the railway.
Penny Vaudoyer will be flying in from her home in Portugal to wave the guards green flag at 10.05 on Friday, 22 March 2019.
Penny's father, Alan Pegler, bought the locomotive from British Railways for £3,000 in 1963.
While visiting Swanage, the locomotive will be reunited with a rare late 1940s Devon Belle Pullman observation carriage, known as Car 14, for the first time in almost 50 years.
The first five days, Friday, 22 March to Tuesday, 26 March 2019, will see the locomotive haul trains between Swanage, Corfe Castle and Norden with Devon Belle Pullman observation carriage Car 14 being coupled behind ‘Flying Scotsman'.
From Wednesday, 27 March, to Wednesday, 10 April 2019, the iconic steam locomotive and the Devon Belle Pullman observation carriage Car 14 will be on static display at Corfe Castle station with ticket-only access to board No. 60103 and Car 14.
What did the officials say?
Penny Vaudoyer said:
“It will be a very moving moment for me to see the ‘Flying Scotsman' and its Pullman observation carriage again because I have so many wonderful memories. That's why I am so happy to be coming to Swanage to send off the first train of the day – quite an honour!”
“‘Flying Scotsman' – or ‘Scotty' as we called her – was part of the family and as for the Pullman observation carriage Car 14, I have just so many memories. I crossed the Rocky Mountains with ‘Flying Scotsman' as a teenager and spent many hours watching the magnificent scenery from that end carriage,” she added.
“My father was a kind and generous man who had time for everyone from all walks of life – a real gentleman who was accessible and friendly to everyone.
“He lived his passion and his dream to the hilt and, despite the risks and losses and the rollercoaster ride of business life with ‘Flying Scotsman', he was always cheerful and never complained,
Swanage Railway Company business division director Mick Gould said:
“Everyone is delighted, and honoured, that the daughter of the man who saved No. 60103 ‘Flying Scotsman' from the scrapyard in the 1960s is to wave off the iconic steam locomotive's first train from Swanage.
“We look forward to welcoming Penny Vaudoyer to the Swanage Railway and sharing her wonderful memories of ‘Flying Scotsman', the Devon Belle Pullman observation carriage Car 14 and her late father Alan Pegler to whom we owe a debt of gratitude,” added Mr Gould, a Swanage Railway volunteer train guard and signalman.
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