The Flying Scotsman chugs into service Feb 24 1923
On February 24, 1923, locomotive 1472, The Flying Scotsman, went into service for the new London and North Eastern Railway.
In 1862, when the East Coast route to Scotland was still young, Walter Leith of the Great Northern Railway had an idea. Why not run a through train from London to Edinburgh? This train was soon nicknamed the ‘Flying Scotsman’.
In 1924 the London and North Eastern Railway decided to ‘officially’ name the train ‘Flying Scotsman’ and to promote the service they named an express locomotive ‘Flying Scotsman’. BBC – A History of the World – Object : Flying Scotsman
Officially retired from daily service in 1963.
Flying Scotsman Locomotive, Centenary
Royal Mail, UK issued 2023
Designers Steers McGillan Eves
Stamps in order:
- First Class At Pickering Station, 2016
- First Class The Christmas Dalesman, 2019
- First Class Cathedrals Express, 2017
- First Class At Blyth, Northumberland, 2016
- £1.85 At Heap Bridge in a blizzard, 2016
- £1.85 Cathedrals Express, 2016
- £1.85 Victoria Station, London, 2002
- £1.85 At Shildon, County Durham, 2019
Schematics of Flying Scotsman Courtesy National Railway Museum
Notable records:
- In 1934, it was officially recognised as the first locomotive to reach 100mph. This record is disputed.
- the first to circumnavigate the globe
- 1989 world record for a non-stop run in a steam locomotive (422-miles)
- since entering service, and after it’s retirement, The Scotsman has travelled about 2,500,000 miles.
- was purchased by National Railway Museum (NRM) and is now in their collection.
The National Railway Museum has an extensive page on the Flying Scotsman The history of Flying Scotsman | National Railway Museum