STEAM icon Flying Scotsman attracted thousands of steam fans to Devon yesterday as they lined the track to watch the iconic locomotive.

Excitement is now building among enthusiasts in Cornwall as it will set off from Plymouth tomorrow morning and head to Penzance.

It was built in Doncaster and was the first locomotive of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway (LNER).

It left the works in February 1923 with number 1472. It was designed by Sir Nigel Gresley as part of the A1 class – the most powerful locomotives used by the LNER at that time.

By 1924, when it was selected to appear at the British Empire Exhibition in London, the loco had been renumbered 4472 – and had been given the name ‘Flying Scotsman’ after the London to Edinburgh rail service, which started daily at 10am in 1862.

The British Empire Exhibition made Flying Scotsman famous, and it went on to feature in many more publicity events for the LNER.

In 1928, it was given a new type of tender with a corridor, which meant that a new crew could take over without stopping the train.

This allowed it to haul the first ever non-stop London to Edinburgh service on May 1, reducing the journey time to eight hours.

In 1934, Scotsman was clocked at 100mph on a special test run – officially the first locomotive in the UK to have reached that speed.

Tomorrow's timings (it does not stop until it arrives in Penzance)

Departs Plymouth 9am

St Budeaux 9.07am

Saltash 9.11am

St Germans 9.17am

Liskeard 9.29am

St Pinnock Viaduct East 9.35am

Largin 9.36am

Lostwithiel 9.46am

Par 9.56am

Burngullow Jn 10.08am

Probus 10.17am

Truro 10.24am

Penwithers Jn 10.26am

Baldhu 10.30am

Camborne 10.42am

St Erth 10.54am

Long Rock 11.04am

Penzance 11.08am

She will then be diesel hauled back to Plymouth, with steam locomotives at the rear.

Depart Penzance 1.17pm

Long Rock at 1.21pm

St Erth 1.26pm

Camborne 1.38pm

Truro 1.57pm

Probus 2.07pm

Burngullow Jn 2.17pm

Par 2.27pm

Lostwithiel 2,36pm

Largin 2.49pm

St Pinnock Viaduct East 2.50pm

Liskeard 2.59pm

St Germans 3.10pm.

Saltash 3.21pm

St Budeaux 3.27pm

Plymouth 3.36pm.

Plymouth to Par – 1Z75 – Flying Scotsman & Black 5

Departs Plymouth 5pm

St Budeaux 5.07pm

Saltash 5.11pm

St Germans 5.17pm

Liskeard 5.29pm

St Pinnock Viaduct East 5.36pm

Largin 5.37pm

Lostwithiel 5.47pm

Par at 5.57pm

Par to Plymouth – 1Z76 – Diesel hauled with steam at rear

Departs Par at 6.03pm, arriving in Plymouth an hour later.