There is less than half an hour to wait before one of the world’s most famous train, the Flying Scotsman, arrives in Cornwall for the first time ever.
The 1920s locomotive is due to leave Plymouth at 9am and can be glimpsed in Saltash at 9.11am – the first of 16 stations it will pass through before arriving in Penzance Railway Station at 11.09am, where it will stop for just over two hours.
Cornwall Council has asked the inevitable crowds of spectators who will be heading to the town to get a good view of the train to take care around the tracks and to park safely.
It said this morning: “Excited the iconic Flying Scotsman is heading through Cornwall this morning! Please take care around the railway tracks and park safely near key viewing points.”
People are also being warned that a cycling event from Marazion to Land’s End is also taking place today, which could cause extra congestion in the area.
The Land’s End 100 Sportive started at 8am, which could see cyclists on the roads as trainspotters from the far west of the county are attempting to travel to Penzance early to get a good viewing spot.
People are being encouraged to plan ahead and walk along the coast path where possible.
The exact timings of the train passing through the various stations are: 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.
The Flying Scotsman 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.
Send us your Flying Scotsman photos and videos
We would love to see your photos and videos of the Flying Scotsman passing through Cornwall so we can make a gallery online and in this week's paper. Email them to emma.ferguson@packetseries.co.uk for the chance to be featured!
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