Flying Scotsman announcement

The locomotive was due to carry out its steam tests and commissioning runs later this month before going on display at the National Railway Museum in August. Flying Scotsman is now expected to carry out its steam tests in the autumn and go on display in York later this year at a date to be confirmed. At this stage it is not possible to confirm when Flying Scotsman is expected to operate passenger journeys.

Flying Scotsman’s restoration has been delayed due to cracks found in the chassis in late June. After carrying out a thorough examination to identify the extent of the problem, it was established that the locomotive requires essential remedial work, which will be carried out in the next two weeks. This work will ensure that the locomotive continues to meet the high standards of work that have been employed throughout the project and that once it is complete, Flying Scotsman will be able to run for decades to come.

Steve Davies, Director of the National Railway Museum, said:

“It is very disappointing to announce that Flying Scotsman will be delayed and unable to go on display at the Museum this August as planned. However, it is important for our visitors to understand that the reason for the delay is because our workshop team are doing everything they can to ensure the remedial work taking place matches up to the meticulous approach that has been taken on the restoration project from the very beginning. The completed locomotive they will see later this year will be restored to the highest quality and our visitors can rest assured that the safety of the locomotive and its future passengers has been of utmost importance throughout the project.”

The restoration of Flying Scotsman has been generously supported by Tata Steel, formerly Corus, a £275,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and support from many other generous organisations.

We will announce details of display dates and ticket sales as soon as these are confirmed at www.nrm.org.uk/flyingscotsman.

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For more information please contact:
Emma Rodgers, Press Officer, National Railway Museum
emma.rodgers@nrm.org.uk
01904 686281

Notes to Editors
• In 2004, the National Railway Museum bought Flying Scotsman for £2million. The appeal to keep No.4472 in Britain was supported by a £1.8 million grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the generosity of the public.

• Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported more than 30,000 projects allocating £4.6billion across the UK. Website: www.hlf.org.uk

• The National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) was set up to save the most outstanding parts of our national heritage in memory of those who have given their lives for the UK. NHMF currently receives annual grant-in-aid from the Government of £10m. It is due to receive £20m between 2011 and 2015. www.nhmf.org.uk

• Tata Steel Europe (formerly Corus) is Europe's second largest steel producer.  With main steelmaking operations in the UK and the Netherlands: the company supplies steel and related services to the construction, automotive, packaging, material handling and other demanding markets worldwide. It is a subsidiary of Tata Steel, one of the world’s top ten steel producers. The combined Group has an aggregate crude steel capacity of more than 28 million tonnes and approximately 80,000 employees across four continents.

• The National Railway Museum (NRM) in York covers over 300 years of railway history and its collections include over 100 locomotives, some 250 items of rolling stock and thousands of other objects - from posters and tickets to uniforms and silverware. Visitors can enjoy a fun family day out with the kids including an action-packed annual programme of special events and exhibitions. Admission to the museum is free. For more information visit www.nrm.org.uk.

• The National Railway Museum forms part of the National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI), along with the Science Museum in London, the National Media Museum in Bradford and Locomotion – the National Railway Museum in Shildon.