Flying Scotsman comeback delayed
By: Robin Jones
The National Railway Museum has announced that Flying Scotsman’s return to steam has been delayed.
The locomotive was due to carry out its steam tests and commissioning runs on the East Lancashire Railway in late June before going on display at the National Railway Museum in August, when it was to be repainted from wartime black to LNER apple green.
Flying Scotsman unveiled in wartime black livery at the National Railway Museum on May 27. ROBIN JONES
The A3, currently being overhauled by Ian Riley at Bury, 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, said a museum statement.
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 was to be carried out in mid-July.
This work is intended 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 supported by Tata Steel, a £275,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and support from many other organisations.
Details of display dates and ticket sales as soon as these are confirmed will be announced in www.nrm.org.uk/flyingscotsman
Flying Scotsman is to be one of the star attractions at the planned Railfest 2012 ‘record breakers’ event at the NRM next June, which organisers hope will be at least as successful as Railfest 2004, which attracted 53,000 paying visitors over nine days.
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Jeff S Says:
July, 12th 2011 at 03:20 pm
The project management of this restoration has been abysmal. 4472 was completely stripped, even the cylinders came off and now they say they've only just discovered further frame cracks in addition to those already repaired? similarly, defects were discovered in the coupled wheelsets AFTER they were supposedly overhauled and painted to top coat. Perhaps the NRM should consider contracting out further overhauls and restorations. They would probably be completed in a more realistic timescale and maybe even be cheaper!!