Thousands flock to see the Flying Scotsman

More then 10,000 Flying Scotsman fans flocked to see the famous locomotive during its opening weekend at the National Railway Museum in Shildon.

The Scotsman is the star attraction at an eight day long sixties-themed ‘Shed Bash’ event

The steam celebrity, which has been wowing the crowds across the country since the completion of its decade-long, £4.2m restoration, is sharing the spotlight with other well-known locomotives - Union of South Africa, which hauled the royal train with Her Majesty the Queen at the opening of the Borders Railway, and Green Arrow, the last survivor of Gresley’s V2 class is on display.

In May 2004 the National Railway Museum purchased Flying Scotsman for £2.3 million on behalf of the nation. The appeal was supported by a £1.8 million grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the generosity of the public.

The restoration has also been undertaken with the help of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £275,000. The aim of the purchase has always been to operate Flying Scotsman as a working museum exhibit.

Flying Scotsman’s restoration is one of the most complex and lengthy overhauls of a steam locomotive ever undertaken, and the steam icon is definitely making the most of its new lease of life as the oldest working steam locomotive on the mainline, drawing movie star-style attention wherever it goes.