Flying Scotsman to pass through Hampshire next week - here's where you can see it

Train enthusiasts can spot the iconic steam engine during two brief visits to the county on Wednesday, May 31 and Saturday, June 3.

Departing from Salisbury shortly before 9am on May 31, the train will rush towards the south coast and the docks in Southampton.

From there it will turn inland, following the River Itchen up to Eastleigh before heading back up to Salisbury.

The train is not expected to stop at any stations, and organisers are keeping the exact timings secret to deter trespassers.

Its journey from Gloucester to Bristol was delayed by almost an hour on Friday after about 50 people were spotted on the line.

Steams Dreams, which operates the tour, has said it has been advised not to publish details of when the Scotsman will be running.

British Transport Police posted on Twitter to advise that ‘a good pic is not worth endangering your life’.

After returning to Salisbury for about 11.15am, the train will head on towards London.

The Scotsman will make another appearance on June 3 as part of the Hampshire Hills Evening Tour.

On this occasion the train will depart from London Victoria at 5pm, before passing through Salisbury and the suburbs of Southampton.

It will then travel north to Winchester, pass through the edge of the South Downs and by Basingstoke as it heads back towards the capital.

What is the Flying Scotsman?

The world-famous train began its service in 1862 and was given its famous name in 1924.

In 1928 it made the first ever non-stop tour from London to Edinburgh, reducing the journey time to eight hours.

Six years later its speed was clocked at 100mph on a special test run, making it the first locomotive in the UK to reach that speed.