The 100-year-old Flying Scotsman locomotive was involved in a “low-speed” accident in the Scottish Highlands on Friday, resulting in two hospitalizations, officials said. File Photo by Barry Lewis/Wikimedia Commons
Two people were hospitalized in an accident in Scotland involving the historic Flying Scotsman locomotive, officials said.
The incident happened at around 6:15 p.m. local time on Friday at Aviemore Station in the Scottish Highlands, officials of the historic Strathspey Railway said in a social media post issued by Britain’s National Railway Museum. Advertisement
According to the statement, the Flying Scotsman locomotive was visiting the railway as part of a planned excursion by the Belmond line’s vintage Royal Scotsman service. The “low-speed” accident happened when the locomotive was being coupled with the Royal Scotsman train carriages.
Strathspey and Belmond officials said emergency services were called to the scene, located about 130 miles north of Edinburgh, Scotland. The two people who were hospital were later released, they said, while others were treated at the scene.
“Appropriate authorities were notified immediately, and we are co-operating with their investigations,” they said.
The newly restored, 100-year-old locomotive was at Aviemore Station as part of a festival celebrating historic steam engines and was employed on 20-mile round trips through moorlands and woods alongside the River Spey on a restored section of the original Highland Railway mainline. Advertisement
Flying Scotsman was built in Doncaster, England, in 1923 and was the first locomotive of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway. Its fame was secured after it became the first steam locomotive to reach a speed of 100 mph.
Tourists who had booked a trip on the vintage train were disappointed after the Scotsman was pulled out of service for inspections.
A railway spokesman confirmed to the Strathspey and Badenoch Herald that the world’s most famous locomotive has been taken to a trainshed and withdrawn from service for inspection by its owner’s own engineers.
