The London North Eastern Railway has announced that it has retimed future Flying Scotsman train services to reflect the original mid-morning departure times, since the launch of the first service nearly 165 years ago.

As of Monday,18th May, the London North Eastern Railway’s northbound Flying Scotsman service will leave London King’s Cross at 10:30 am, with the southbound service leaving Edinburgh Waverley at 10 am.

Passengers travelling on the retimed services on the first day of operation will be welcomed by The Red Hot Chilli Pipers and Celtic Rock band, who will play well-known hits as they arrive at stations and board the train.

Passengers travelling in First Class will be treated to a full Scottish-themed menu, including Haggis, neeps and tatties, alongside placemats featuring a modern, redesigned 21st-century Flying Scotsman logo.

The Flying Scotsman service has been running on the East Coast Mainline since 1862, though the train was not officially given the title, complete with headboard, until 1924.

Originally, both northbound and southbound services left their respective capital cities at 10 am. The name Flying Scotsman has been used on East Coast Main Line services by many individual Train Operating Companies over the years; it has become part of British railway history and culture.

Under the 21st Century branding of LNER, the named Flying Scotsman service currently runs one-way, leaving Edinburgh Waverley before 6 am.

It is thanks in part to the new Azuma trains that have increased journey times on services along the East Coast Main Line that have allowed timetable planners to restore the Flying Scotsman services to mid-morning departure times befitting a tribute to one of Britain’s well-known trains.

Passengers can once again board a fast mid-morning service and travel a route so many travellers have done before, while enjoying the speed and comfort of an Azuma.

Looking ahead, the retimed services could not have come at a better time as this year marks 150 years since the birth of Sir Nigel Greasley, the builder the A3 Class Pacific No. 60103 ‘Flying Scotsman’ which was named after the train.

Gresley 150 celebrations will be taking place throughout the year with the highlight of events happening around what would have been Sir Nigel’s birthday in June.

“It’s fantastic to see the Flying Scotsman service move much closer to its historic departure timings.

The service became famous for its simultaneous 10:00 departures from London King’s Cross and Edinburgh, and these revised departure times are as close as we can get to that today. We’re really looking forward to The Red-Hot Chilli Pipers giving both the northbound and southbound services a rousing send-off.

2026 is also the year the railway industry is marking Gresley 150, celebrating the life and legacy of Sir Nigel Gresley, whose designs helped define a golden age of rail travel.”

Stuart Thomas, Communications Director at LNER

“The Flying Scotsman service is one of the most powerful names through a century of British railway travel. It is synonymous with speed, punctuality, regularity and quality. In its early years, it became famous for its simultaneous 10am departures from both London and Edinburgh, so bringing today’s timetable much closer to that is a wonderful nod to its truly iconic heritage.

Named express train services were once more common than now, but the Flying Scotsman name isn’t just a niche detail for rail enthusiasts: it’s a name that should resonate with passengers who value history, tradition and service. 21st Century travellers know that it’s often better to fly by electric train than to fly by oil-guzzling plane: with the Flying Scotsman, I hope even more will realise that they too can make the switch.”

Tim Dunn, Railway historian and broadcaster