When first purchased by the National Railway Museum in 2004, 'Flying Scotsman' operational record was erratic. Despite having undergone a million pound overhaul in the care of previous owner Dr Tony Marchington, the locomotive suffered continuous failures and missed a number of it's planned excursions. In 2005 then, 4472 was pulled into the NRM's workshop for it's most extensive refurbishment to date and whilst we all know the story of her long-awaited return to traffic, the A3 has once again proven herself a refined and reliable mainline performer.
On the contrary, the events of Saturday 19th June 2021 would not be in 'Scotsman's favour. Booked to haul the Railway Touring Company's 'White Rose' from London Kings Cross to York, the loco had been getting back into its stride for the 2021 season, with a number of tours in the south of England. Therefore, one would think the LNER Pacific would be in fit condition, but as 'The White Rose' set off from Kings Cross, drama would soon unfold.
The tour started well, keeping to time as it headed north out of the capital. Slowly however, the train was beginning to run late, dropping further and further behind it's timetable. It seemed 60103 was heavily struggling for steam. Could it be boiler issues? Or simply a batch of bad coal? The crew nursed the locomotive on until through Lincolnshire until a stop for a blow-up was made on Stoke Bank, ironically, where fellow LNER thoroughbred A4 4468 'Mallard' set the world speed record for steam traction. Around forty-five minutes later, the tour set off again, although Scotty's steaming problems would persist and it's timetable was left in tatters. The A3 soldiered on to Carlton-On-Trent Loop, where a stop for water was made regardless of the train running over ninety minutes late. Newly replenished, 60103 limped back onto the mainline only to finally throw in the towel a few moments later at Babworth Loop, just north of Retford. 'Flying Scotsman' had failed.
Acting fast, an SOS call was made to York, who dispatched WCRC Class 47 47772 to rescue the stricken 'Scotsman'. Having travelled south and attached to the train, adding yet more time to an already battered timetable, 'The White Rose' was dragged by diesel to journey's end at York, finally arriving almost two hundred minutes late with a very solemn-looking 'Flying Scotsman'. Almost immediately, the A3 was detached from the train and shunted into the NRM's sidings, no doubt where a full inspection will ascertain the cause of the issue.
I hope you all enjoy the video. My shots today certainly aren't anything spectacular, yet I'm glad I was able to capture footage of possibly the rarest of mainline steam occurrences. Hopefully 60103 will be back in traffic very soon. Feel free to comment and subscribe!
