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| Trespassers force Flying Scotsman to make unscheduled stop on inaugural run | Trespassers force Flying Scotsman to make unscheduled stop on inaugural run |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Flying Scotsman’s inaugural run from London to York after a decade-long refit was briefly brought to a halt by trespassers on the tracks. | Flying Scotsman’s inaugural run from London to York after a decade-long refit was briefly brought to a halt by trespassers on the tracks. |
| Thousands of steam enthusiasts have been lining up on Thursday morning to get a glimpse of the world-famous locomotive. Network Rail said that as a result of people on the tracks all trains on the East Coast mainline had come to a standstill. | Thousands of steam enthusiasts have been lining up on Thursday morning to get a glimpse of the world-famous locomotive. Network Rail said that as a result of people on the tracks all trains on the East Coast mainline had come to a standstill. |
| We've had to stop all trains on the East Coast Main Line incl. #FlyingScotsman because of huge number of trespassers. Please, don't. | We've had to stop all trains on the East Coast Main Line incl. #FlyingScotsman because of huge number of trespassers. Please, don't. |
| Passengers said the train came to a “shuddering stop” near St Neots, Cambridgeshire, and Virgin Trains East Coast warned that other services were being delayed by up to 15 minutes due to photographers on the track. | |
| Footage filmed from the stationary train showed people walking down the line holding cameras. | |
| British Transport Police received reports of around 60 trespassers on the track near St Neots shortly after 9am. No arrests were made. | |
| The trains were soon on the move again according to the press office. It warned people to enjoy the view “safely and stay off the railway”. | |
| There are 297 VIPs, fundraisers, competition winners and ticket-buying members of the public on board for the five-hour trip. | There are 297 VIPs, fundraisers, competition winners and ticket-buying members of the public on board for the five-hour trip. |
| Flying Scotsman has been painted in the traditional early 1960s British Rail green for its first official outing bearing its nameplates after the restoration project. | Flying Scotsman has been painted in the traditional early 1960s British Rail green for its first official outing bearing its nameplates after the restoration project. |
| Built in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, in 1923, it soon became the star locomotive of the British railway system, pulling the first train to break the 100mph barrier in 1934. | Built in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, in 1923, it soon became the star locomotive of the British railway system, pulling the first train to break the 100mph barrier in 1934. |
| Flying Scotsman left Kings Cross station in London just after 7.45am on the trip north to York. One of the passengers was the broadcaster and former MP Michael Portillo, who said he he was “very excited” to be travelling on the train as part of filming for BBC documentary series Great British Railway Journeys. | Flying Scotsman left Kings Cross station in London just after 7.45am on the trip north to York. One of the passengers was the broadcaster and former MP Michael Portillo, who said he he was “very excited” to be travelling on the train as part of filming for BBC documentary series Great British Railway Journeys. |
| “This is certainly the most famous journey and most famous locomotive in Britain,” he said. | “This is certainly the most famous journey and most famous locomotive in Britain,” he said. |
| Portillo described Flying Scotsman as “an engineering triumph” and praised its designer, Sir Nigel Gresley, for having “an eye for engineering, for design, for style and for marketing”. | Portillo described Flying Scotsman as “an engineering triumph” and praised its designer, Sir Nigel Gresley, for having “an eye for engineering, for design, for style and for marketing”. |
| The National Railway Museum (NRM) in York bought the locomotive for 2.3 million in 2004 before work got under way on its restoration in 2006. | The National Railway Museum (NRM) in York bought the locomotive for 2.3 million in 2004 before work got under way on its restoration in 2006. |
| The museum’s director, Paul Kirkman, said Flying Scotsman was a reminder that “railways have been making this country run properly for nearly 200 years”. | The museum’s director, Paul Kirkman, said Flying Scotsman was a reminder that “railways have been making this country run properly for nearly 200 years”. |
| He said the restoration project was a “long old journey” but added that it was “incredibly satisfying” to see the locomotive returned to service. | He said the restoration project was a “long old journey” but added that it was “incredibly satisfying” to see the locomotive returned to service. |
| Also among the passengers was Ron Kennedy, a Flying Scotsman driver from 1956 until it was retired in 1963. | Also among the passengers was Ron Kennedy, a Flying Scotsman driver from 1956 until it was retired in 1963. |
| The 83-year-old, from Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, beamed with delight as the locomotive pulled into the station he first worked at as a cleaner almost 70 years ago. | The 83-year-old, from Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, beamed with delight as the locomotive pulled into the station he first worked at as a cleaner almost 70 years ago. |
| “It’s unbelievable. I never dreamt about being on it again. To be out with it is just fantastic,” he said. “It was a good engine.” | “It’s unbelievable. I never dreamt about being on it again. To be out with it is just fantastic,” he said. “It was a good engine.” |
| Kennedy said he was impressed with how Flying Scotsman has been restored. | Kennedy said he was impressed with how Flying Scotsman has been restored. |
| “When the railway museum took it over they didn’t know what to do with it but public donations meant they could put it back together again,” he explained. | “When the railway museum took it over they didn’t know what to do with it but public donations meant they could put it back together again,” he explained. |
| “I think they’ve done a wonderful job. It belongs to the public really so let’s keep it so it’s always there for our children and grandchildren.” | “I think they’ve done a wonderful job. It belongs to the public really so let’s keep it so it’s always there for our children and grandchildren.” |
| Flying Scotsman will be kept at the NRM until 6 March before embarking on a tour around the country. | Flying Scotsman will be kept at the NRM until 6 March before embarking on a tour around the country. |
| The Press Association contributed to this report | The Press Association contributed to this report |