I do understand that my loyal reader may not be too impressed if I start today by talking about a steam engine. Not just any steam engine, though: the steam engine. The Flying Scotsman.
I hear today that, following a nine year £4 million restoration programme, the old girl – actually; Scotsman, must be a boy – is ready to roll again. I had no idea that the locomotive was actually built in 1923 and was retired in 1963. I thought it was built far more recently than that. Built by Sir Nigel Gresley – as was Mallard – it is, arguably, the most famous steam engine in the world and I don’t think I have ever seen it.
I will not go over the entire history of Flying Scotsman because you can find that yourself via Mr Google, but I am sorely tempted to take the long trek up north to see him in action. A trial run has been arranged for 23 January 2016 over the…wait for this…Settle and Carlisle Railway. A couple of years ago, I went to said railway, achieving a lifetime ambition of getting close to the wondrous Ribblehead viaduct. The only trains I saw were ‘spinter’ type rattlers and goods trains, but here is the opportunity to see the most famous steam engine on the planet on the greatest viaduct.
What is it about steam engines that appeals to children of all ages? Even I have no recollection of steam engines on the mainline. I have seen them only on specials and preserved railways. I grew up in the age of diesel locomotives and my interest in trains was all but killed off by the arrivals of High Speed Trains and said Sprinters, functional, uniformly dull and characterless. I took my anorak to the airport.
But the Flying Scotsman is something else. Even if you haven’t seen the engine, you’ve heard the name and I am thinking about putting the name together with my favourite viaduct on the planet. My favourite viaduct, honestly!
£7k to build, £4,2m to restore and worth every penny. Toot, toot!
