Flying Scotsman to steam through north Northants again

The world's most famous steam locomotive is set to pass through north Northamptonshire again later this year.

Huge crowds are likely to turn out when the Flying Scotsman travels through Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby before heading over the iconic Harringworth Viaduct on Saturday, June 20.

Visits in previous years have seen more than 2,000 come out to catch a glimpse and David Fursdon, from Friends of Harringworth Viaduct, is expecting another busy day.

He said: "We have had the Flying Scotsman through the county about three times in the last couple of years and on every occasion there has been more people than before.

"Based on that we are expecting a major turnout this time."

The Flying Scotsman, designed by Edinburgh-born Sir Nigel Gresley in 1923, is travelling through the county as part of a trip between Ealing Broadway and York.

It will stop at Kettering to pick up passengers at about 9.47am before heading north.

The Time Travellers' room on Platform 1 at Kettering Station, run by Kettering Civic Society, will be open from 9am to 10.30am to view items of interest, plus there is an opportunity to get a closer look at the Flying Scotsman.

The train will return to Kettering, diesel-hauled, at about 8.37pm.

Mr Fursdon said: "Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to see it but I have seen it on the previous three occasions.

"There's always a great community atmosphere and I'm sure it will be brilliant again this time."

He encouraged anyone who goes out to see it to stay safe and not trespass on the line.

The Flying Scotsman was created to haul the Edinburgh-London express train on the East Coast main line and used to travel through nearby Peterborough when it was in service.

It was the first steam locomotive to reach 100mph in 1934 and set a record for the longest non-stop run at 422 miles in Australia in 1989. It was later restored at a cost of £4.5m at York’s National Railway Museum.

The visit will be the latest steam locomotive to visit north Northamptonshire after a big turnout to see the Union of South Africa last week.