“Farewell Alan Pegler": 60103, KX-York,13/10/18

Thought this deserved a thread of its own.

Steam Dreams is running a charter on the above date with FS and Pegler's ashes are to be put into Scotsman's firebox as the loco climbs Stoke Bank, as he requested.

Passengers will all receive a commemorative ‘Farewell Alan Pegler’ brochure showing pictures and words of his life and times with Flying Scotsman not just in the UK, her journeys overseas as well.

I can't see anything on the SD site yet and the press release doesn't mention costs or what'll haul the return journey, so I have asked the questions and will update this post as and when I hear back from SD.

Tickets are on sale now.

 

Fares are below. Only bookable over the phone for the time being and the return is to be hauled by Class 47 or 57.

Pullman Style Dining - £325

Premier Dining - £249

First Class - £199

Premium Standard - £149

 

Those are some pricey fares

 

Considering the nature of the train, I think they could easily charge much more than that and still fill the train, given the significance.

 

Email received from SD today - just in case you were wondering...

"As things currently stand, the request from our Train Operator to Network Rail is to run the outward journey without a diesel on the rear.
Hope that helps! I'm afraid it's not possible to guarantee it as the final decision will be at the discretion of Network Rail."

 

Unless the fire risk restrictions remain in place when it runs, I'd bet the "final decision" actually rests with someone other than NR, who provide the paths based on the operator bid, don't they?

 

Post removed as it might have given the wrong impression.

 

Well... I've booked my ticket

 

Would have in a heartbeat if it had been the real Flying Scotsman, 4472.

 

It's only paint...

 

So the smoke deflectors and double chimney are mirages are they?

 

I have a FS tour programme from the late 60's (Donny - KX & ret) autographed by Mr Pegler - complete with sooty fingerprints - one of my prized possessions. I was 12 at the time, and in sole charge of my 10 year old brother. Different times.

 

You're being ridiculous. The loco is still Flying Scotsman, no more or less 'real'. All features it carried in its service life.

 

You're being very childish. We are all entitled to our opinions on this site.
Mine is that the NRM promised to return the engine to original condition and didn't. 60103 means nothing to me. It was single chimneyed LNER liveried 4472 that was the famous Flying Scotsman; the first recorded 100mph; the first loco to haul the Flying Scotsman Train; the loco that went to the States twice; did the long distance record in Australia. And wasn't the first thing the great man Alan Pegler did when he saved the engine, and thank goodness he did as it is such historic locomotive, sent it through Donny works to rid it of it's BR identity and return it to it's former glory as 4472.

 

Childish? I'm not the one that whined about it not being the 'real' 4472. Why stop there with your list - what about reverting it to right hand drive? And likewise, I could say that 4472 means nothing to me as my first sighting of it was as 60103 (but I won't). Plus if it was returned to 'original condition' - as a GN-built A1 - it wouldn't (I think) fit the current loading gauge.

I wondered how long it would be before this thread descended into the usual twaddle about this locomotive - I didn't have to wait long, did I? Worse still, this petty nonsense about what constitutes the 'real' locomotive detracts from the raison d'etre of this tour - to give Alan Pegler the most fitting send-off he deserves.

 

But wasn’t Scotsman’s first run under Pegler’s ownership in the guise of 60103 ‘Flying Scotsman’ in exactly the same guise as it is now? Given that Peglers last run on his locomotive will replicate the first journey in his ownership (albeit going that bit further to York) guise wise, surely this is as fitting as could be?

 

That is a very good point...well made.

 

I honestly don't know if her final run as 60103 was before or after BR sold her to Alan. It matters not a jot though as had Alan not bought her, there would be no 4472/60103 running today. I doubt very much that Alan's last wishes for his ashes to be spread on the fire were conditional on the loco being 4472 with a single chimney so I agree 100% that it's a fitting way to say a final farewell the the loco's initial saviour.