The National Railway Museum has said that the world-famous locomotive, 60103 Flying Scotsman, could be back on the tracks as early as February 2025.
The NRM has reached an agreement with Northern Steam Operations Limited, the locomotive’s custodian, to contract operating and promoting teams.
Flying Scotsman will remain on display at Locomotion in Shildon over the festive period, nearly 320,000 people have viewed, climbed onboard or taken a ride behind the locomotive this year.
NSOL has held conversations with various heritage lines and the locomotive is likely to be in operation by February 2025.
The full statement is below
The National Railway Museum is today delighted to announce that the museum has reached agreement with Flying Scotsman’s custodian, Northern Steam Operations Limited (NSOL), on future arrangements for the locomotive and how the two parties will work together in the future.
The agreement reflects the hard work that NSOL have put in over the past months to contract operating and promoter teams. NSOL has held productive conversations with various heritage railways, and Flying Scotsman is likely to be back in steam as early as February 2025.
A further announcement will be made once the details of Flying Scotsman’s future schedule have been finalised.
Responses
I travelled on the Flying Scotsman when I was 7 (1958). One of the happiest memories of my childhood. I would love to be able to take my two grand daughters aged 12 and 10 to have the same experience. Please consider bringing this living icon back to the South West so that another generation can fall in love with the age of steam.
This country seems to be awash with people in positions of authority and influence who are simply not up to the job. This seems to be the case wherever one looks.
We travelled behind Flying Scotsman on the Bluebell Railway last year, it was packed, all tickets sold. What on earth was the thinking behind laying this wonderful locomotive up and on static display for a year.
As has been said, surely getting classes A1/A2/A3 & A4 together must be a high priority for 2025, if only 4771 could join them.
And lets have the V2 to complete the LNER mainline picture
Please, please keep me updated 🙏 in the respects of ‘The Flying Scotsman’s’ journeys as I would absolutely love to book tickets for my Daughter, Son in Law and my 2 Grandsons that all as myself are steam train fanatics. . . Especially what with ‘The Harry Potter’ connection.
It would be a dream come true for my immediate family if ever I could purchase tickets.
We are based in Exeter . . . ? X’s
Its a job to know with the Science Museum, all they care about is visitor numbers, most of the staff have a poor knowledge of the various collections, they are abismal people.
Some years ago I phoned the NRM York regarding the location of the Stirling Single (I want sure whether she was at York or Shildon at the time). The person at the other end of the phone answered that they didn’t know if the locomotive to which I was referring! I referred to the locomotive as ‘No1’, and as ‘the 8′ single’ during the call, only to be faced with ignorance at the York end.
One would think that at the very least, staff would have a list available of the major locomotive exhibits.
‘Bout time to
A year off the mainline will have faded all the success of her anniversary year
I hope that they have planned in something for Rail200 and not just have her at Locomotion
I think someone should get them together with the owners of Sir Nigel Gresley, Blue Peter & Tornado and create an A1/A2/A3/A4 bash
It is beyond belief that NRM are operating this icon in this way. They and the Science Museum Group always complain that they need money, yet a guaranteed money-spinner has been a static exhibition for over a year. If hired for tours, it will sell out, and every heritage line it visits will earn it good money. What is more annoying is that the clock is ticking on the engine’s various certificates, and yet NRM, which spent millions on restoring The Flying Scotsman, allows that time to run down. Serious questions should be asked about the management, not just of this engine, but how the NRM is run.
I couldn’t agree more.
Good points and well made.
Fully agree.
13 months out of action and no mention of mainline. What sort of organisations are in charge of this “National Treasure”?
‘Oh Yeah’, he said, tapping his watch….
I think the NRM need to pass the loco over to a group whop have a suitable level of passion and commitment : NRM + NSC, ie Not Suitable Custodians.
A joke, a living joke