Flying Scotsman steams through Handforth

by Lisa Reeves

Tuesday 14^th June 2016

Tue 14^th Jun 2016

The iconic Flying Scotsman passed through Handforth at about 4.30 this afternoon (Tuesday, 14th June).

Described as the world's most famous steam locomotive, the Flying Scotsman was built in 1923 for the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) at Doncaster Works and designed by Sir Nigel Gresley.

The locomotive set two world records, becoming the first steam locomotive to reach 100 miles per hour in November 1934 and then setting a record for the longest non-stop run by a steam locomotive when it ran 422 miles while in Australia in August 1989.

The Flying Scotsman retired from regular service in 1963, after covering 2.08 million miles, but has returned to the tracks having undergone an extensive 10-year restoration costing £4.2m.

Photo credit Ric Harris / [email protected] and Martin Vincent for the last two.

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Chris Neill

Tuesday 14^th June 2016 at 9:50 pm

Why didn't anybody tell us that one of the most famous steam Locomotives in the world was coming through town ?

Jon Armstrong

Tuesday 14^th June 2016 at 10:36 pm

The railway companies have been trying to discourage it due to incidents with trespassers on the line. Some of it's trips have been cancelled because of it. You can still see it up close at Crewe Heritage Centre tomorrow morning, from 9 until 12.

Jon Williams

Tuesday 14^th June 2016 at 10:56 pm

I herd it from my back door this afternoon, but new nothing about it until reading this.

Dave Cash

Tuesday 14^th June 2016 at 11:02 pm

Details?

Pete Taylor

Wednesday 15^th June 2016 at 12:55 pm

There is no secret about the movements of steam trains and locos on the Railtrack network. The UK Steam website http://bit.ly/1p6geAX details all steam movements and is updated on a daily basis; in fact it is better than that- most movements are tracked live and as a station or waypoint is passed, it is immediately updated. Yesterday I tracked the Scotsman and was able to leave home for Alderley station at exactly the right time to meet the train- no more hanging around for hours in the rain!

On the UK Steam website the columns to the right side show where and when trains and tours are due to be, including updates on the many cancellations. It also shows "loco movements" which is what was happening yesterday when the Scotsman + crew carriage transited from York to Crewe. As a matter of fact it passed through Wilmslow and Alderley on its way North seven days earlier.

Chris Wigley

Wednesday 15^th June 2016 at 2:28 pm

I wonder at the time when the Flying Scotsman was a service train, if Handforth had a better train service off-peak than it does today. We only have one train an hour in the evening, half that of the preceding station Cheadle Hulme or successor station Wilmslow. We have a multi-award winning station to be proud of, so long as you haven't any infirmities, not using a disability scooter, pushing a pram or have bulky luggage because unlike the other station we have no access others than steps.