Railway Models UK

Flying Scotsman will return to Locomotion in Shildon from 2 to 25 August 2026, with passenger rides behind the locomotive available from £5 as part of the museum’s Summer Festival programme.

The locomotive will be on site between 2 and 25 August 2026. Passengers can pre‑book rides and footplate experiences from 2 June.

Locomotion added the ticket prices to make steam travel more accessible to visitors during the six‑week festival schedule.

Flying Scotsman was built in Doncaster in February 1923 for the London and North Eastern Railway as locomotive No 1472. Designed by Sir Nigel Gresley, it was later renumbered 4472 and renamed Flying Scotsman in 1924 after being selected for the British Empire Exhibition in London.

Originally an A1 class locomotive, it was rebuilt to A3 specification in 1947. Weighing 97 tonnes and 70 ft long, it became the first steam engine officially recorded at 100 mph in 1934.

During its 1989 Australian tour, Flying Scotsman set another record by completing a 422‑mile non‑stop run.

Today the locomotive forms part of the National Railway Museum collection within the Science Museum Group.

Workshop contributors include LEGO entertainer Bricks McGee, the North East Meccano Society and artist Dawn Belshaw, as well as a range of “Think like an Engineer” themed activities:

LEGO sessions by Bricks McGee
Meccano projects from the North East Meccano Society
Artistic interpretations by Dawn Belshaw
Interactive “Think like an Engineer” activities

Locomotion will also commemorate the 150th anniversary of Sir Nigel Gresley’s birth through a “Meet the Engineers” display, featuring past and present railway engineers.

Over 5,000 visitors rode behind Flying Scotsman during its 2025 appearance at Locomotion, with tickets selling out in just a few weeks.

Admission to the museum remains free, though rides and experiences have separate tickets. Availability depends on the visit date.

Fun for a fiver this summer at Locomotion Shildon

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