Flying Scotsman centenary: All dates and where you can see famous locomotive on 2023 birthday tour

The Flying Scotsman will be visiting stations and heritage railways across the UK this summer. The Pacific class engine, owned by the National Railway Museum in York, is set to pull a special charter train, The Portsmouth Flyer.

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Railway enthusiasts will get to see the locomotive in several places, either on tour or in stationary locations, so here is all you need to know.

Where can I see The Flying Scotsman in Portsmouth?

The famous locomotive will be visiting Portsmouth on June 17. It will set off from London Victoria and head to Portsmouth Harbour railway station.

It will pass Staines, Woking, Guildford, Haslemere Water, Fratton, Portsmouth and Southsea stations along the way. The return journey will see the engine visit Fareham, Southampton, Romsey, Laverstock, Andover and Basingstoke, before retracing its steps through Woking and Staines to reach London Victoria.

History of The Flying Scotsman

The centenary expedition has been organised by the Railway Touring Company. The Flying Scotsman was built in 1923 for the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) at Doncaster Works.

She was designed by Sir Nigel Gresley as part of the A1 class – considered the most powerful locomotives used on the railway.

The steam engine was used by LNER for long distance express routes. She is best known for her long-running daily commutes on the 10am service from London to Edinburgh. This was known as the Flying Scotsman service, in her namesake.

Where you can see The Flying Scotsman – full schedule including dates and locations

March – Trips on the East Lancashire Railway

The Flying Scotsman will be based at the 12 mile East Lancashire Railway. Trips are forecast for March 11, 12, 17 – 19, with dining trips on 11, 17 – 18 March.

There will also be chances to see her on static display on other days.

April – National Railway Museum in York

The Flying Scotsman can be seen in the new Flying Scotsman Story exhibition between April 1 and 16. Visitors will be allowed access to the footplate.

April 30 – The Royal Duchy – Day trip to Devon and Cornwall

The journey will start at Bristol Temple Meads station, then will move on to Yatton, Taunton, Exeter, Plymouth, Par, and back again.

May 1-24 – Trips on the Railway Children Line

The route is four and half miles – the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway – and rose to prominence in The Railway Children film. There will be day trips, dining excursions and photo opportunities.

June 7 – Cardiff Express from London Paddington

It will start at London Paddington and go through the Thames Valley and along the river Severn. The locomotive will travel via Slough, Reading, Swindon, Bristol Parkway, Severn Tunnel, and Maindee Junction.

After turning on a triangle track, a diesel locomotive will then take the train through Newport to Cardiff, then returning to Paddington.

June 10 – Cheshireman from London Euston

The Flying Scotsman will pull a charter train from London Euston along the West Coast Main Line through Watford Jct, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Rugby, Nuneaton, Crewe, to Chester.

June 17 – Portsmouth Flyer route from London Victoria

June 21 – Salisbury Express route from London Paddington

There will be a day excursion from London Paddington to Salisbury. It will travel via Slough, Reading, Newbury Racecourse and Westbury.

The return route from Salisbury returns to Paddington via Romsey, Southampton, Basingstoke and Reading.

June 24 – Great Yarmouth Flyer from London King’s Cross

It will travel along its old LNER route, from King’s Cross to Fens and Norfolk. The route goes via Hertford North, Stevenage, Cambridge, and Norwich to Great Yarmouth.

The return route goes through Wensum Curve, before going on to the outbound route at Ely.

June 30 to July 4 – Flying Scotsman Centenary weekender

A weekend excursion is scheduled on the old route from London King’s Cross to Edinburgh via York, then moving on to Aberdeen.

July 9, August 6, September 10 – The Waverley on the Settle and Carlisle Railway

Day excursions will be running from York on the Settle and Carlisle Railway on July 9. The trips run through Leeds, Keighley and Skipton, to Carlisle.

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The return route is on August 6. There will be another day excursion on September 10.

August 14 – 31 – Trips on the Bluebell Railway

During most of August, there will be 11 mile trips on the railway through Sussex.

October 14 – The Hadrian on the Settle and Carlisle Railway

This is a day trip from Derby. A diesel train will be organised to York, stopping at Long Eaton, Beeston, Ilkeston, Alfreton, and Chesterfield to pick up passengers.

The Flying Scotsman will join at York, hauling The Hadrian train via Leeds to Carlisle, then across to Darlington, where she leaves the train. A diesel takes the train back to Derby via York.