Search for next custodian to operate and maintain Flying Scotsman

A competitive tender to appoint the next custodian for Flying Scotsman to operate and maintain the locomotive will launch with an Invitation to Tender (ITT) published online in the coming weeks. The tender is expected to be awarded in late spring 2024.   

Once the custodian is appointed, Flying Scotsman will resume a programme of rail tours in the autumn. It is expected that the locomotive will visit heritage railways and will remain main line operational.   

The news was announced when it was revealed that after travelling 10,000 miles across the UK as part of its centenary celebrations, world famous locomotive Flying Scotsman will spend the first part of 2024 on static display at the National Railway Museum in York before resuming rail tours later in the year.   

From Friday 26 January until the summer, the locomotive will be displayed in the Flying Scotsman Story exhibition at the National Railway Museum. Visitors will be able to see the locomotive for free and access the footplate via an accessible ramp.

Flying Scotsman will then travel to Locomotion in Shildon where it will go on public display.

Judith McNicol, Director of the National Railway Museum said: “After an amazing centenary year which has seen Flying Scotsman delight and inspire thousands of people, I can announce our plans to bring the world-famous locomotive to the National Railway Museum in York while we begin the search for its next custodian.

“Our intention is to keep Flying Scotsman main line operational and once the new custodian is appointed, we will create a calendar of activity that includes main line tours, visits to heritage railways and our museums.”

The tender to find Flying Scotsman’s custodian will be open to all and published online here: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/sciencemuseumgroup.

Flying Scotsman’s visits to the National Railway Museum in York and Locomotion in Shildon during the centenary saw large numbers of people travel from across the UK and overseas to see the famous locomotive. In York 51,751 people visited during October half term and more than 37,500 came to see Flying Scotsman in light steam at Locomotion over Christmas.

Built in Doncaster in 1923 for the newly formed LNER, Flying Scotsman is considered by many to be the most famous locomotive in the world. Flying Scotsman was saved from the scrapheap and toured the USA and Australia before becoming part of the National Railway Museum’s collection.    

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