Memories of working on Flying Scotsman

[dparker]

I'm making a film for the BBC to coincide with Flying Scotsman's 90th birthday and I'm looking for people with memories of working on the train, in the buffet, ticket collectors, cleaners, and others and people who have memories of riding on the train: maybe to a memorable holiday, meeting a person, a honey moon, going to a funeral.

Anyone with memories like that? Fell free to reply or call me on 07774 772301

[52D]

Good luck with the film, you might like to mention that Mr Peglar was pondering the choice of which A3 to preserve and the influences behind his final choice.

[jwealleans]

Your question is a little unclear - you mean the locomotive, Flying Scotsman, not the train 'The Flying Scotsman', the 10:00 departure from King's Cross for Edinburgh Waverley?

[52D]

If as JW above states you are interested in the train rather than the locomotive, it and its preceding trains were known as the Scotch express and the Flying Scotchman and have been known as that for at least 150 years.

[Mickey]

You may or may not know that there was a short film made (approx 50 minutes) of 4472 FLYING SCOTSMAN (locomotive) hauling the 40th Anniversary commemorative non-stop run of the 10:am departure of THE FLYING SCOTSMAN (the train) from Kings Cross to Edinburgh in May 1968 released on video cassette in the early 1980s by BBC video.

This BBC video features some good film footage filmed lineside (a nice long shot of 4472 and it's train passing Fletton Junction just south of Peterborough) and on board the train interviews from various people including Alan Pegler the then locomotives owner.

Well worth a look at if you can still find it in the BBC archives?.

[geofrancis]

Hi
As in my post dated Sept 22nd 2010, I worked as an apprentice with a linesman
in the Signal & Telegraph Dept Doncaster, We were called out to a serious Fault at Shaftholme Jct
the first train heading that way was the Scotsman, we were put on the footplate and the driver
dropped us off at Shaftholme Jct Signal Box. At 15 yrs what an experience.
Geofrancis

[hq1hitchin]

Hi
As in my post dated Sept 22nd 2010, I worked as an apprentice with a linesman
in the Signal & Telegraph Dept Doncaster, We were called out to a serious Fault at Shaftholme Jct
the first train heading that way was the Scotsman, we were put on the footplate and the driver
dropped us off at Shaftholme Jct Signal Box. At 15 yrs what an experience.
Geofrancis

Talk about starting at the top! Well done you

[geofrancis]

I see no response from D Parker?

geofrancis

[James Brodie]

Sirs,
I last rode on 4472 in 1975 after the rail 150 returning the engine from Darlington towards York/lLeeds etc.
I had a Thornaby driver and fireman and also riding the new owner Mr or Sir R. McAlpine ? not sure on spelling sorry.
The driver asked if I would let the guest have hold for a while then I later suggested the fireman have a go as it might be his last chance for the experience. My only stipulation was that max speed was 60mph....I think I eventually got relieved by a Sheffield inspector but my memory is kinda slow! Thornaby men were more used to Green Arrows and the smoother riding of the A3s could mislead the impression of the speed you were actually doing. 60 on a Green Arrow gave a similar sensation on an A3 but you would be doing 80 !! if you know what I mean.......I think I will go back to my G5s. JB 67281-67338.

[jwealleans]

The one and only time I cabbed 4472 on the mainline was in 2005 just after the NRM bought her, from Malton to Scarborough. I can confirm what Jim says, it was wonderfully smooth and quiet - the noisiest thing I could hear was the air pump which was (then, anyway) on the back of the tender. Superb ride and a wonderful experience.

[2002EarlMarischal]

Not up to the experiences quoted above, but I did enjoy a morning on the footplate of 4472 when it visited the GCR some years ago. I suppose we didn't exceed 35mph or whatever the passenger train speed limit is on preserved lines. It felt such an honour that I was on cloud 9 for a long time afterwards.

Splendid to read experiences of real railwayman on the great engine. Keep them coming please.

[sandwhich]

Two very minor memories on working 60103 as I remember, the first was soon after starting my railway career at Top Shed I was on a firing course and we were directed to a cold FS at the back of the shed, there were six of us and we were all told to climb into the firebox, most of the brick arch was removed, it was surprising to a bunch of 16 year olds how big the firebox really was. The other memory was a couple of months later during one of the last great smogs, we prepared the engine and took it down to Kings Cross, at Top Shed I walked in front of the engine with a flare lamp to as far as the first set of points, another engine followed, and guess what I missed the points and found myself under York Way arches when 60103 stopped there was a little bump from the engine behind an A4 Pacific, that Driver was not pleased and his Fireman had to walk back with a flare lamp to find the right points with a statement of "bloody kids". We made it to the station eventually. On the day that Alan Peglar purchased this engine I heard about it on the radio before coming to work, when I got there nobody beleived me until it was confirmed later on that day.

[Mickey]

I watched the 1929 Flying Scotsman film and to be honest it's a bit of a joke film, the first half of the film is a 'silent movie' and the second half of the film has the sound of the actor's speaking?.

There are a number of shots of the Flying Scotsman loco in the film although apart from at the very beginning of the film when 4472 arrives up no.1 platform at Kings Cross with an up express theres nothing more shown of 4472 until about halfway through the film then she's in a number of scenes from then onwards until the end of the film.

The film it's self is to far fetched to be taken seriously especially after the Flying Scotsman locomotive is 'uncoupled at speed' from it's train (the 10:am ex-Kings Cross to Edinburgh The Flying Scotsman) and then with the train divided into two portions (the loco & train) both carry on for another mile or so down the line (the loco & train both appear to be travelling in the wrong direction over the adjoining up line by the looks of it?) until they are both brought to a stand (the train by Pauline Johnson leading actress operating a ground frame and switching the rear portion/the train onto another line via a set of points to avoid the train smashing into the stationary Flying Scotsman loco & tender and then the guard of the train screwing the hand brake down to bring his train to a stand!!). No wonder Gresley didn't like the film and banned any more filming taking place on the L.N.E.R. while he was C.M.& E.E.

Prior to both portions of the 'divided Flying Scotsman loco & train' coming to a stand there's a nice scene filmed inside a s/box with a shocked signalman seeing wot was going on outside his box and sending (i presume the 5-5 bell train divided?) on the block bell to the next s/box down the line with 4472 running light engine passed the box outside followed a few seconds later by a rake of Gresley teak coaches running passed the box following 4472 at speed!!!!.

It gets more silly because after the train becomes divided and then both portions come to a stand in a block-section for a certain period of time eventually the locomotive and train are re-coupled (not seen on the film) and then the driver of the Flying Scotsman then sets off after this 'very unusal incident' and manages to bring the Flying Scotsman train into Edinburgh Waverley station 'on time' with no other railway official's to meet him and ask him what had gone on further back down the line at the very least??.

All in all it's an interesting film on one level but to far fetched to be taken seriously.

PS The leading actress Pauline Johnson performs a 'very dangerous stunt' on the outside of a moving train at speed and to be honest could have been killed if it had gone wrong plus she wasn't a bad looking female to be honest.

[Dave Cockle]

Micky,

the shot in the Flying Scotsman film where the actress operates a ground frame to divert the rear portion of the dived train away from the front portion was taken at Stapleford between Hertford N and Watton-at-Stone.

The two portions are actually running in the wrong direction i.e. Down on the Up and the rear portion is diverted through Stapleford trailing crossover to put the run away onto the right line.

I don't know for sure but I did wonder if the shot of the signalman watching the dived train pass his box was taken at Langley Jn.

[Mickey]

Micky,

the shot in the Flying Scotsman film where the actress operates a ground frame to divert the rear portion of the dived train away from the front portion was taken at Stapleford between Hertford N and Watton-at-Stone.

The two portions are actually running in the wrong direction i.e. Down on the Up and the rear portion is diverted through Stapleford trailing crossover to put the run away onto the right line.

I don't know for sure but I did wonder if the shot of the signalman watching the dived train pass his box was taken at Langley Jn.

Funny that you should say that Dave because it dawned on me all of a sudden while i was watching this film that some of the area that 4472 and it's train was being filmed at looked familiar around the Hertford north area?. I actually thought for a second that it was at Bayford (to the south of Hertford north station) but your correct saying it was at Stapleford (to the north of Hertford north station).

Yes as i previously posted i noticed the 'wrong direction' running as well.

Also it follows on that the interior shot of a s/box was probably Langley Junction?.

The film would have been more credible if they had only left the 'fight scene on the footplate of 4472' and the 'dangerous stunt' performed by actress Pauline Johnson (walking a long the coaches outside running boards at high speed and then climbing up and over the tender of 4472 and onto the footplate!!) in the film but after 4472 and it's train are un-coupled at high speed and then both locomotive and it's train carry on regardless for another mile or so after the braking of the vacuum brake pipes between 4472 and it's train then the credibility factor is BLOWN OUT THE WATER!!!.