The appearance of Flying Scotsman at London’s Victoria station sparked controversy when smoke detectors triggered fire alarms which resulted in the station being closed and passengers evacuated as a safety precaution.
The alarms sounded on Thursday, May 31, when after working a Steam Dreams’ luncheon train to Oxford, Scotsman was booked to head an evening trip from Victoria around the Surrey Hills route via Guildford, Redhill and East Croydon.
Commuters, milling around outside the station, were bemused and frustrated during a 15-minute evacuation and by subsequent delays to train services.
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Passengers on the ‘Cathedrals Express’ were oblivious to the upheaval that their train’s departure had caused and no doubt were settling down in anticipation of the meal served as part of the trip.
Rail operator Southeastern claimed that the alarm – which is usually disabled when a steam train visits the station – may have been switched back on too soon.
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