The National Railway Museum has announced plans for 60103 Flying Scotsman this year, after the contract with Riley and Son Ltd ended at the end of last year.
Flying Scotsman will spend the first part of 2024 on static display at the York museum, but will resume mainline tours later in the year.
From Friday 26th January until the summer, 60103 will be on display in the Flying Scotsman Story exhibition in York, after which, it will return to Shildon to go on public display.
A tender to appoint the next custodians for Flying Scotsman to allow the locomotive to operate on the mainline will be launched, and will be awarded in late Spring 2024.
The intention is that Flying Scotsman will remain mainline operational and will visit heritage railways from Autumn 2024.
Judith McNicol, Director of the National Railway Museum said: “After an amazing centenary year which has seen Flying Scotsman delight and inspire thousands of people, I can announce our plans to bring the world-famous locomotive to the National Railway Museum in York while we begin the search for its next custodian.
“Our intention is to keep Flying Scotsman main line operational and once the new custodian is appointed, we will create a calendar of activity that includes main line tours, visits to heritage railways and our museums.”
The tender to find Flying Scotsman's custodian will be open to all and published online here: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/sciencemuseumgroup.
Is ‘the Flying Scotsman” going to run in the summer of 2025 or has it remained in the Museum?
I am in Australia and would like to place this ride as part of our time in Britian.
It is possible that the trains calendar may depend on the outcome of the court case with reference to the safety mechanism of railway carriages for mainline operations. WCR which hired the train out had permission to continue to run train tours with carriages as they are until next month pending a court appeal going through but this has been withdrawn meaning that they have currently had to cancel all tours pending the court case. Not sure how the case affects heritage line operations but i the ruling goes against the tour companies they will either have to refit their coaches or purchase some new ones which meet the requirements being introduced. This is likely to take time and money meaning that in the meantime the Flying Scotsmans operations on the mainline may be restricted which is beyond their control. With regards to the tendering, this may be a legal requirement since NRM receives public funding and has charitable status – they have to justify everything which they do even down to who they gives contracts to. As stated, Riley’s are able to put in a new tender
Allowing the contract with Riley’s to expire, means that it saves the NRM money which it can spend on the white elephant called Wonderlab…!!
I wonder why I suspect that Flying Scotsman may not run this year, if ever again. Not sure what NRM’s game is. If they were serious about running the loco they would have sorted out a contractor by now and have a running schedule. Makes sense to keep Rileys.
I agree that this fine loco love her or hate her she should go on for other generations to enjoy I ha e worked in her STEAmed her in my 21st birthday while she was atMarket Overton to many years ago to mention I have traveled the length and breadth of Britain with her during sir William mac Alpines time with her was involved taking her to Shildon in 1974 a. D helped prep her for the cavalcade along with matie Ray Towel and friends they were great times long missed but hopefully continued for all those that now maintaine her for the future
My wife and me was on the Edinburgh trip last year it’s was the best trip on a steam train we ever been on
After the mess the NRM got into with this engine and all the work that Riley and Co put into getting it back on the mainline surely to goodness it would make sense to allow them to continue.
It’s surprising the end of Riley’s contract wasn’t foreseen, thus allowing tenders for a new contract being sought months ago.
P.S. agree with previous comment that the old lady is called Flying Scotsman, no “The” in the name!
P.P.S. Riley’s have been doing a wonderful job!
Lovely to see her again. I worked on her in the 50s out of kings Cross. As a pantry boy 65 years ago
Great news to see the old lady being looked after and given the respect she deserves of something her age. I say if things arnt broken then why change them so leave it to Rileys & Son.
There are two flying Scotsmen. One is a Gresley A3 pacific called ‘Flying Scotsman’. The other was a service called ‘THE Flying Scotsman’ (King’s Cross to Edinburgh on the East Coast Main Line?) I dare say the former hauled the latter, on occasion, but the loco name was never called ‘The Flying Scotsman’. This could irtitate an irritable person 😄 (not me, obviously…)
Chris, you’ll note the press release is very faithful to this, and never once slips in a gratuitous ‘the’ 😊
Top day out hope to catch her later in year
Good news ,Glad to hear after 100 years the flying Scotsman will doing more tours around the UK ❤
The Flying Scotsman is an iconic national engineering treasure and must be kept operational and in service for future generations especially considering the lengths previous owners have gone to in order to keep the locomotive running. In the scheme of things the costs are reasonable. We don’t know why Riley’s are not carrying on but Flying Scotsman deserves the skills of Riley’s who have done a superb job. My young grandson loves Flying Scotsman and we have seen her running through Kent, at the NRM last September and were lucky enough to ride on the train on the Bluebell Railway in August.
Riley’s contract came to an end. Nothing more than that, so they could tender for the new contract. Almost certainly the NRM’s finance people wouldn’t allow a simple contract extension, hence the retendering. One might ask why the contracts people couldn’t arrange things so that there was no gap…
We saw the Flying Scotsman at Shildon on 21st December 2023. Myself, Partner and 3 children really enjoyed the once in a lifetime experience to go aboard and being on the footplate
So pleased to hear that the flying Scotsman is still a big part of our heritage my dad had the privilege of firing her back in 1969 through mansfield although he is ko longer with us we are all very proud of him
Saw Flying Scotsman when it visited Severn Valley Railway, left a big imprint on my heart.
I live right next to the mainline at Finsbury Park. I can see the Flying Scotsman from the bridge.when she’s coming up from Kings Cross. I’m so excited that she will be back on track soon.
Sean
I like other will me so glad, to see her continuing to steam and Run, she may be an old Lady, who had lenth Cosmetic & major Surgery, but she is a joy to see. Was looky enough to see her while she was on Private Hire threw Mc Alpine. It was Great to get chance to get on the foot plate @ Old Glenparva Station Leicester. Long may she continue to steam
Looky enough, as in taking a look, or Lucky as in ‘fortunate’?
Threw McAlpine? Who threw him or was it through McAlpine that Flying Scotsman is still with us today?
I haven’t ever seen flying Scotsmen in Person which is sad. But i’m glad to know that it will still be continuing tours and displays
So glad The Flying Scotsman will still be part of our heritage. I used to travel on her from Kings Cross to Edinburgh when I was a little girl. Oh the joys of being invited onto the footplate and being inside. So iconic to me and millions of others.