Scotsman is flying back into service

THE FLYING SCOTSMAN is to steam back into business after a three- year, pounds 1m restoration programme, it was announced yesterday.

The 160-ton locomotive will leave London King's Cross on 4 July on a pounds 350-per-ticket trip to York - the start of regular, main line charter services.

Built in 1923, the Flying Scotsman ran on the London and North Eastern Railway, and then on British Rail, for 40 years. Its restoration was undertaken by the pharmaceutical entrepreneur, Tony Marchington, who bought the loco for pounds 1.5m in 1996.

It ran about two million miles in service before being withdrawn in 1963 and being taken over by a succession of private owners running charter services, including the pop impresario Pete Waterman.