Doncaster-built rail icon The Flying Scotsman to be added to commuter routes

Virgin Trains has today announced that Doncaster customers will soon be able to catch a steam train to work, as they revealed the original Flying Scotsman locomotive will be joining its fleet later this year.
By The Newsroom
Published 1st Apr 2016, 08:18 BST
Updated 1st Apr 2016, 09:26 BST
The Flying ScotsmanThe Flying Scotsman
The Flying Scotsman

For no extra cost, Virgin Trains customers travelling on its East Coast and West Coast routes will have the unique opportunity to swap short commuter routes such as the 102-minute Doncaster to London journey, for slower and steamier journeys hauled by Flying Scotsman.

A 25 per cent discount on tickets is also being offered to customers willing to swap their laptops for shovels to help keep the train running across the route.

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To celebrate its arrival, the famed steam train will be given a 21st Century makeover and will be painted with the iconic Virgin Trains red livery.

Jim Lowe, Head of Operations at the National Railway Museum, said: “Flying Scotsman has had many different guises throughout its rollercoaster history, and we’re very excited about the steam star’s upcoming transformation.

"We hope that visitors to the National Railway Museum will be delighted to see locomotive in its new red and white livery as part of our exciting Scotsman Season.”

Hamish Soaring, Head of The Steam Train Rehabilitation Programme said: “At Virgin Trains we’re passionate about giving our customers an awesome experience and think that by bringing steam trains back onto our commuter service, we’re doing just that.

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"We would encourage our customers to book the 25 per cent discounted tickets so we can ensure enough coal is being shovelled at all times!”

The unprecedented announcement comes as the National Railway Museum, which saved the locomotive for the nation in 2004, agreed to release it back into service.

The makeover will be taking place at the museum in York, where fans of the iconic engine can watch the transformation as it’s painted during the museum’s fantastic Scotsman Season, running from March 25 to May 8 2016, before fans can really experience the full power of steam.

Flying Scotsman will be available for travel on the east coast route from May 2016 with the service extending to the west coast mainline by the end of the year.

To book tickets to the National Railway Museum visit http://www.flyingscotsman.org.uk/events/

Related topics:DoncasterFlying ScotsmanLondon