After many months of travelling around the county on rail tours and special appearances, the Flying Scotsman will be on display at the National Railway Museum during half term from 21 October to 5 November) as part of its centenary celebrations.
Flying Scotsman will be positioned on the historic turntable in the museum's Great Hall, for the first time since 2016.
This is Flying Scotsman's centenary year, and this will be its final visit to the museum this year.
Visitors can also experience Scotsman's greatest moments over the past 100 years through the museum's multisensory Flying Scotsman VR experience, where a cast of historic figures tell visitors its story, including being displayed at the British Empire Exhibition, its 100 mph record-breaking run, and journeys around North America and Australia. Tickets for the VR experience cost extra and must be booked on the museum's website in advance.
As well as viewing Flying Scotsman, in the museum's North Shed there is a free exhibition “Flying Scotsman: 100 Years, 100 Voices” that explores the human side of the locomotive's legacy.
Flying Scotsman's centenary tour doesn't end at the National Railway Museum, as on 11 and 12 November it will return to its birthplace of Doncaster, and from 16 December to 2 January, it will be in light steam outside Locomotion at Shildon for a special centenary festival sponsored by CrossCountry.
Hornby Hobbies is the Lead Sponsor for the Flying Scotsman centenary programme, which has been made possible through funding from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Players of the Peoples Postcode Lottery.
The National Railway Museum will be open from daily from 10.00–17.00 for visitors to view Flying Scotsman. Further information about its centenary plans is online at www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/flying-scotsman and its return to the National Railway Museum at www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/flying-scotsman/centenary-programme/flying-scotsman-returns.
Admission to the National Railway Museum is free and can be booked in advance at www.railwaymuseum.org.uk, but tickets for the Flying Scotsman VR experience must be booked online in advance at www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/flying-scotsman-vr
Another attraction open during half term is the family-focused interactive experience Wonderlab: The Bramall Gallery, which features 18 hands-on exhibits designed to inspire and spark curiosity in railways and engineering.Aa new live science show “Streamlined by Design”also investigates the force of air resistance and how shape affects speed. Tickets for Wonderlab: The Bramall Gallery can be booked at www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/wonderlab-bramall-gallery
On 25 October, visitors can learn about innovative ideas and technologies that are shaping the future of railways, and hear from people working in the industry at a Network Rail-supported workshop, “Full Steam Ahead”.
Places already visited this year by Flying Scotsman include The Bluebell Railway and Cardiff
Judith McNicol, Director of the National Railway Museum said: Flying Scotsman‘s centenary is a fantastic opportunity for the public to see this world-famous locomotive, and we're delighted that it will be on display on the turntable during the busy half-term season. Visitors will be given a rare 360-degree view of the locomotive each day as part of a free museum admission ticket.”
