Alstom, a global leader in ‘smart and sustainable mobility’, recently confirmed that the Flying Scotsman will be attending
The Greatest Gathering ‘railway extravaganza’ in August. The locomotive, which is owned by the National Railway Museum, will be appearing alongside other historically significant rail vehicles from the UK National Collection.
Alstom’s three-day festival in Derby — the world’s largest-ever gathering of historic and modern rolling stock — forms part of the wider festivities for
Railway 200, a year-long celebration marking the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) on 27 September 1825. The Flying Scotsman was built almost 100 years later, and in 1934 became the first locomotive to officially reach 100mph.
The steam engine continued in service until 1963 and later in preservation, which included tours of the USA, Canada and Australia. The Flying Scotsman also holds the world record for the longest non-stop run by a steam locomotive; this was set in Australia in 1989 with a 422-mile trip.
Rob Whyte, Alstom UK and Ireland’s managing director, said: “The Flying Scotsman’s attendance is a powerful tribute to Britain’s steam legacy and a moment of railway history not to be missed; and while we proudly honour icons of the past, like the Flying Scotsman, we also hope
The Greatest Gathering will ignite the imagination of tomorrow’s engineers, as we showcase the latest sustainable and digital rail innovations across our Derby site.”
The Flying Scotsman was the first locomotive of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway (LNER). Designed by Sir Nigel Gresley, it was built as a Class A1 locomotive in 1923 and converted to a Class A3 in 1947. The locomotive was named ‘Flying Scotsman’ in 1924 when it was chosen to attend the
British Empire Exhibition in London.