Celebrity engine visits Bluebell Railway

Extra dates and more services added for Flying Scotsman’s trip to ‘fly south’ to the Bluebell Railway this August in its centenary year.

Tickets are now on sale for the visit by the world-famous locomotive Flying Scotsman to the Bluebell Railway this summer.

It was originally scheduled to be at the Sussex attraction in August 2022. Now the Bluebell Railway and its caretakers the National Railway Museum can announce the 2023 visit has been extended. 

The Flying Scotsman will be running non-stop return services between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead for seven days from 23 - 29 August. All tickets must be pre-booked.

Visitors will also be able to see the locomotive on static display at Sheffield Park from 30 August – 3 September. Tickets for footplate viewings will be available to book online.  

Tickets are now on sale at https://www.bluebell-railway.com/flying-scotsman-2023/

Bluebell Railway chairman Paul Churchman said: “After a lot of work on the part of The Bluebell Railway, and the locomotive's caretakers, The NRM we are thrilled to confirm the world-famous Flying Scotsman is to visit us once again, notably in its centenary year.  

The visit to the Bluebell Railway will be one of the chances to see the famous engine during its centenary year. We look forward to seeing you later in the year, if not before.”

Flying Scotsman last visited the Bluebell Railway in 2017. The visit was a huge success, with people travelling from far and wide to glimpse the famous loco on Bluebell rails. As you would expect we have some exciting plans for this year’s visit, Flying Scotsman will be running on regular services and special dining trains. We will be looking for extra volunteers across the railway in pretty much nearly all roles and departments to cover the increase in visitor numbers expected.

Flying Scotsman was the first locomotive of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) and entered service in February 1923. The locomotive (previously numbered 1472) was renumbered 4472 in 1924 and given the name 'Flying Scotsman' after the daily 10.00 London to Edinburgh rail service.

It was numbered No. 60103 after British Railways was formed and rail travel was nationalised in 1948. The locomotive would be withdrawn from BR service in 1963, before being saved by Alan Pegler and embarking on its new life in preservation.

The locomotive underwent an overhaul in April 2022, prior to the locomotive’s centenary celebrations in 2023.  As part of the overhaul, Riley & Son (E) Ltd restored the locomotive to the same standard as the last overhaul in 2016, with work focusing on the boiler and the required retube and recertification. There will not be any changes to the locomotive’s livery, numbering, or chimney configuration. The visit to the Bluebell Railway will be one of the limited chances to see the famous engine during its centenary year.

The Flying Scotsman will be running non-stop return services between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead for seven days from 23 – 29 August. All seats must be pre-booked in advance. 

Visitors will also be able to see the locomotive on static display at Sheffield Park from 30 August – 3 September. Tickets for footplate viewings will be available to book online.  

Tickets are on sale now: https://www.bluebell-railway.com/flying-scotsman-2023/

This rare visit is an opportunity for all staff to enjoy and make this the stand-out event of 2023 for our visitors at The Bluebell Railway.

As ever for more information, please visit www.bluebell-railway.com, our social media channels or sign up for our newsletter here.