The West Somerset Railway plc is pleased to announce that the iconic, world-famous locomotive, No 60103 Flying Scotsman will be hauling passenger trains on West Somerset metals in June and July 2025
Following agreement with the National Railway Museum and Northern Steam Operations, Flying Scotsman will arrive in West Somerset near the end of June. Flying Scotsman will then run services between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead on 28 th , 29 th , 30 th June and 1st, – 2nd, 8 h, 9th, 10th, 11th & 12th July, with static displays of the locomotive available at Bishops Lydeard on 26th, 27th June and 3rd – 7th, 13th & 14th July.
On the days where services behind Flying Scotsman will be running, the West Somerset Railway will offer excursions behind the Flying Scotsman for one full length journey of the line and a return journey behind one of their home fleet locomotives.
Further evening excursions will also be available on the evenings of 28th & 29th June 2nd, 8th, 9th, 11th & 12th July for a full return trip behind the Flying Scotsman from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead with various ticket options including travel only, fish and chips, afternoon teas or on board the Quantock Belle Dining Train to enjoy a 4-course meal.
The static days offer the opportunity to see Flying Scotsman up close, including an afternoon tea in the station house garden with the locomotive as your backdrop. With so many ticket options we are sure to have an affordable option for all.
Tickets for the event will go on sale on the West Somerset Railway website Wednesday 23rd April 2025. A dedicated phone line will also be open from 9:30am on Wednesday 23rd April 2025 and will be publicised shortly, please do not call before this time for information about the Flying Scotsman.
WSR General Manager, Kerry Noble said, “We are extremely excited to welcome back Flying Scotsman to the West Somerset Railway this year. It has been a well-kept secret and we are really pleased to be able to share this with members of the public. We are more than aware of the cost of living at the moment, so we have tried our best to create many opportunities for everyone to see the Flying Scotsman to suit all budget types. We are looking forward to welcoming the locomotive and our visitors back for this truly special event”
Flying Scotsman was originally built in Doncaster for the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), emerging from the works on 24 February 1923 and initially numbered 1472. It was designed by Sir Nigel Gresley as part of the A1 class – the most powerful locomotives used by the railway.
The legendary locomotive also performed the first ever non-stop London to Edinburgh trip in 1928, cutting the journey time to eight hours. In 1934, Flying Scotsman was clocked at 100mph on a test run – the first locomotive in the UK to reach that speed.
Owned by the National Railway Museum, the engine underwent a £4.2million restoration to put it back on the tracks as a working exhibit from 2015 In 2023, it celebrated its centenary with a nationwide tour, and is visiting a number of heritage railway lines in 2025, as the nation celebrates Railway 200 – the bicentenary of the modern railway.
The West Somerset Railway last welcomed the locomotive in September 2017. All West Somerset Railway stations for the duration of the operating days of the Flying Scotsman will be closed to the public. Access to Minehead or Bishops Lydeard will be by ticket only.
For further information on this press release, please contact the WSR General
Manager, Kerry Noble on info@wsrail.net or call 01643 704996.