The world’s most famous steam locomotive 60103 ‘Flying Scotsman’ will haul the first passenger train along the full length of the 16-mile Severn Valley Railway line, when the northernmost section is reunited with the rest of the line on Friday 25 July.
Work is now well underway to repair the serious embankment collapse that has meant the isolation of the SVR’s northern terminus at Bridgnorth since late January. When the full line reopens for public services on Friday 25 July, ‘Flying Scotsman’ will head up the first service of the day from Kidderminster, crossing the repaired section of the embankment at Mor Brook bridge, and arriving to a triumphant and long-awaited welcome at Bridgnorth station.
‘Flying Scotsman’ will haul three return trips a day on Friday 25, and again on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 July, as part of the SVR’s Swingin’ Sixties event, which celebrates the 60th anniversary of the line in preservation.
Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster, the SVR’s managing director said:
‘What a coup this is! Opportunities to travel behind this iconic loco on a heritage line are rare. It is incredibly exciting to have the best-known locomotive in the world at the head of our first full-line service this season! We are very grateful to the National Railway Museum for agreeing to this visit, and to Northern Steam Operations Limited and DB Cargo for their assistance too.
‘We’ll be pairing ‘Flying Scotsman with the SVR’s set of Gresley teak carriages, to make sure we celebrate both the SVR’s 60th anniversary and the reuniting of our full line in the most stunning way possible.’
Craig Bentley, director of the National Railway Museum, said:
‘We are delighted to be able to make this visit from the world’s most famous steam locomotive possible, and to help Severn Valley Railway mark an important moment in its recovery. The National Railway Museum is keen to support heritage railways like the SVR in this, the 200th anniversary of the railways, and their determination to reach this milestone is truly inspiring.’
Tickets for a return trip behind 60103 ‘Flying Scotsman’ are £45 and must be pre-booked. They will be on sale from 10am on Wednesday 18 June. Tickets booked for the Saturday and Sunday also allow unlimited travel on all other Swingin’ Sixties services for the rest of the day.
Tickets to attend the Swingin’ Sixties event without travel behind ‘Flying Scotsman’ are bookable now, and all passengers will get plenty of opportunity to see the iconic visitor in action throughout the day.
60103 last visited the SVR in 2016, during its first year back in service after restoration. It proved a sell-out success then, and SVR managers are expecting the same high demand for tickets for its visit next month.
During the SVR’s Swingin’ Sixties event, as well as ‘Flying Scotsman’ there’ll be three other steam-hauled trains including one double-header, plus a heritage diesel-hauled service.
The event will also feature live music at Kidderminster and Highley, plus displays of classic vehicles at Kidderminster, Highley and Bridgnorth, and a Ferris wheel at The Engine House Visitor Centre, Highley.
‘Flying Scotsman’ and general admission to the Swingin’ Sixties event are bookable at svr.co.uk.