Concluding the loco's Centenary year, LNER A3 NO. 60103 'Flying Scotsman' worked The Worcester Christmas Express from Cambridge to Worcester. The train would run via Ely, where water would be taken and March to reach Peterborough, where the cross country line via Stamford, Melton Mowbray and Leicester, for a second water stop, would be followed to reach Birmingham. After weaving through the city along the Camp Hill Line, the train descended the Lickey Incline and turned right to pass through Droitwich before arrival at Worcester. The return retraced it's steps with the A3 coming off at Leicester.


The train is first seen early doors on the ECS movement from Southall to Cambridge at a desolate Letchworth Garden City. Having left Southall early and spent the journey north demolishing the timetable, 60103 was running 32 minutes early by this point. At 04:44 the A3's lights appeared under the bridge and the rhythmic hissing from the valve gear increases in volume as the train clanks through the dark and empty station and on to Cambridge.

After collecting the first passengers at the university city, the train is next caught at Waterbeach. The shrieking whistle warns of the loco's imminent arrival as the train accelerates away from Cambridge. Passing through the up platform, the station's lighting illuminates the steam leaving a silhouetted view of the loco. 60103 then comes thumping towards the camera sounding sharp as a pin as she whisks the 11 coach train to Ely and the first water stop.

Lastly the train is seen on the Birmingham to Peterborough line at Ketton signal box. This section of the route is still signalled by semaphore hence the continued survival of the former Midland Railway signal boxes. The A3's exhaust is clearly heard as she pounds up the 1-in-165 gradient to the signal box. A cheerful whistle and the loco bursts into view leaving a trail of mega steam in its wake. Two short whistles to the signalmen and 60103 slightly loses her feet, causing the driver to shut off steam, fortunately once the gradient has eased. Happily, Class 47 47746 'Chris Fudge 29.7.70 - 26.6.10' was doing little work.


Wonderful to see 'Flying Scotsman' again as she brought her Centenary celebrations to a close on the mainline. A good set of performances from the loco during the chase, despite the early start!


Timestamps:

00:00 - Letchworth Garden City
01:00 - Waterbeach
01:40 - Ketton


Filmed on a Panasonic HC-X1500 with an AudioTechnica AT8024 microphone.


Enjoy.