Flying Scotsman to go on tour for rail anniversary

A famous steam train is set to arrive in Somerset this summer.

The iconic Flying Scotsman, built in 1923, will be using the West Somerset Railway to run services between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead from 28 June to 14 July.

It is visiting the area on a tour of the UK's heritage railways to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the modern railway.

West Somerset Railway's general manager, Kerry Noble said: "We are extremely excited to welcome back Flying Scotsman to the West Somerset Railway. It has been a well-kept secret, and we are really pleased to be able to share this with members of the public."

Events are being held all year as part of Railway 200 to mark the anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway on 27 September 1825.

West Somerset Railway last hosted the Flying Scotsman in 2017 and Ms Noble said they were happy to be able to offer passengers to chance to ride on the famous train again.

"We are more than aware of the cost of living at the moment, so we have tried our best to create many opportunities for everyone to see the Flying Scotsman to suit all budget types," she said.

"We are looking forward to welcoming the locomotive and our visitors back for this truly special event."

The locomotive was built in Doncaster for the London and North Eastern Railway and was designed by Sir Nigel Gresley as part of the A1 class, which were the most powerful trains used by the railway.

The Flying Scotsman is known for performing the first continuous London to Edinburgh trip in 1928, completing the journey in eight hours. It was also the first locomotive in the UK to reach 100mph on a test run, in 1934.

It was retired from regular service in 1963 and in 2015 underwent a £4.2m project to restore its engine and keep it on the tracks.

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