The Flying Scotsman locomotive, described as the most famous in the world, can be seen travelling through Kent on March 17.
Built in 1923 for the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) at Doncaster Works to a design of H.N. Gresley, it was employed on long-distance express trains on the LNER and its successors, British Railways Eastern and North-Eastern Regions, notably on the London to Edinburgh Flying Scotsman train service after which it was named.
The locomotive set two world records for steam traction, becoming the first steam locomotive to be officially authenticated at reaching 100 miles per hour on 30 November 1934, and then setting a record for the longest non-stop run by a steam locomotive when it ran 422 miles on 8 August 1989 while in Australia.
Retired from regular service in 1963 after covering 2,076,000 miles, Flying Scotsman gained considerable fame in preservation under the ownership of Alan Pegler, William McAlpine, Tony Marchington and finally the National Railway Museum (NRM). As well as hauling enthusiast specials in the United Kingdom, the locomotive toured extensively in the United States and Canada (from 1969 to 1973) and Australia (from 1988 to 1989).
Whilst the locomotive is rostered for the steam hauled sections of the trip listed, it cannot be guaranteed and may be substituted for a different engine.
The locomotive runs to Canterbury then goes to Ashford via Dover and Folkestone, hauled in reverse to Canterbury via Wye, then heads back to London via Wye.
The Flying Scotman departs London Victoria at 8.44am and arrives at Canterbury West Platform 2 at 11.42am.
It then detaches from its train and runs hauling just its “Support Coach” from Canterbury West to Ashford, via Sturry, Minster, Deal, Walmer, Dover Priory to Folkestone West, where it stops to take on water, before heading off for Ashford International for Servicing. This journey will also have “Turned” the loco the right way around for its return trip – that is – “Facing London”.
The Loco and its coach then depart Ashford International running in reverse back to Canterbury West to re-attach to its train and will pass through Sturry at 1.44pm, Minster at 1.57pm and Sandwich at 2.06pm.
Times will be confirmed 5-7 days before the journey. Find out more at https://www.steamdreams.co.uk/tours.php?loco=6351
UPDATE_ Rail times can be found at https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U64145/2022-03-17/detailed?fbclid=IwAR3cwCefkPDCArM7gV4Y65UKqE2BHK87Q07hdY92eeGI3c4HS0gU-p3oMj0
Details with thanks to John Horton and Steam Dreams Railway Company
which day?
Thursday 17th March 2022 – Two return trips, in the morning and the evening, from London Victoria to Canterbury West with dining on board.
The route is a little confusing. Will it pass through Hernebay/Ramsgate to get to Canterbury? And when can it be viewed passing through Sandwich?
The only thanet station it will go through is Minster , its then going to ashford via folkestone so the engine will be in the correct direction for the return and its getting water there too apparently !
Will i be able to see it after school
How exciting! Thanks so much for letting us know!
Information is incorrect, the locomotive will set down passengers at Canterbury West, then more passengers will join the train for a round trip around Kent via Minster, Sandwich Deal, Dover, Folkestone and Ashford where the train will be diesel hauled back to Canterbury West to take passengers back to London. Full details can be found on the steam dream’s website and realtimetrains.co.uk.
Hi, these times were the ones shown at the time of posting with Minster and Sandwich being the most relevant for the area we cover (which is why we didn’t put the whole timetable in). If you have different times for those stations perhaps you could supply the link so we can check from the source you are using? Many thanks
I made an enquiry to the Steam Dreams Railway Company and the Railway Museum yesterday asking the full route and received a similar reply from both copied here so it’s odd that you now have the details to publish:-
Thank you for your enquiry.
If you are not travelling with us due to trespass issues during previous trips with Flying Scotsman, for safety reasons and also to avoid overcrowding at stations I am afraid we have been advised by Network Rail, the NRM and the ORR not to publish recommended viewing points or the timetable of when the train is being hauled by Flying Scotsman. When the train isn’t running it is possible to see it at The National Railway Museum in York.
I am sorry we are not able to be more helpful normally we are happy to release timings for our trips.
Kind regards,
Sally Carter | The Steam Dreams Rail Co.
Albury Lodge, The Street, Albury, Guildford, Surrey, GU5 9AE
T: +44 (0)1483 209888 | W: http://www.steamdreams.co.uk
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Yes, they are concerned about too many people getting too close to the track so I have taken the full timetable out
As I understand it, the Scot leaves Victoria and goes to say Swanley where it will take the line to Sevenoaks and thence to Ashford and across to Canterbury. Passengers get out to walk around the town whilst more get on and travel via Minster, Sandwich, Deal, Dover, and alongside the Channel to Folkestone and to Ashford. Then it will be reversed to Canterbury to take the London passengers back to Victoria.
So from Thanet, our best bet will be at Minster or Sandwich at around 1400 hours.
So it’s not going into the north kent or the Medway towns where most of the people live
What time will it pass through Deal? Does it go through twice? Bit confused!
There are two routes, London to Canterbury and then a round trip from and back to Canterbury.
Can anyone say if it goes through Beckenham junction, or Bromley south, or do I need to get to swanley. I been trying to find out about this for a while my 3 year old will love it, me too.
Bromley Jn 09/13am ish, but time is approx and not confirmed by the operator
The Flying Scotsman arrived an hour late at Sandwich today, but it was well worth the wait. Around 200 ‘spotters’ were on the station as the train arrived at around 50mph projecting a majestic sight of clean and shiny paintwork as she thundered through the station. It really was thunderous as it passed by presumably the effect of all those cranks and mechanisms. A truly wonderful vision of old engineering at its best. I must look out for the next steam adventure and hope that it passes through Thanet so that more people can enjoy the experience. I think that offering a circular tour from Canterbury around and back via Dover was a very good idea. Perhaps this could be repeated with stops at Margate and Thanet in the future so that we can also travel on one of these old ghosts of the past.
Did they have platform tickets 😀
Platform tickets were not necessary as the station is unmanned although there was a lady who might have been with the rail company, as she seemed to have been able to keep us informed about the delay. I would have happily paid if someone had asked.
The next round trip from Canterbury West is on 11th August.