The Scotsman flies through Market Harborough!

The Flying Scotsman passes Market Harborough at speed on 2nd August 2025 on its way from Kettering to Derby for the Railway 200 Greatest Gathering event.  Picture: Mick Riddett.

The nation’s favourite railway engine made a fine sight as it came through Market Harborough not once but twice on Saturday 2nd August.  LNER A3 Class No 60103 Flying Scotsman, built in 1923, was an exhibit at The Greatest Gathering, a major collection of railway vehicles both historic and modern, at Alstom’s Derby Litchurch Lane works over the weekend of 1st – 3rd August.  This was part of the Railway 200 celebrations, commemorating the opening of the world's first locomotive-worked public passenger railway, the Stockton & Darlington, which opened in 1825.  Flying Scotsman, however, nipped out on the Saturday to go to Kettering and collect a luxury excursion train and take it to Derby.
The first run through Market Harborough was a few minutes late at 10:20, when the locomotive ran ‘light engine’, though with its support coach, southbound to go to Kettering.  There it took water, kindly provided by the fire brigade after its intended road water-tanker broke down. 
Meanwhile, the excursion train headed from London Victoria behind a diesel that was also a bit of a celebrity.  A Class 67, it had been specially repainted in 2022 to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. That engine came through Market Harborough 'light' at 11:52, heading north.  Soon after, at 12:20, Flying Scotsman came through at speed, hauling the excursion.  This was formed of a beautiful set of traditional Pullman cars. 
​The platforms at Market Harborough were lined with spectators.  It’s funny how trainspotting is derided as a hobby but when the Flying Scotsman is around, it seems that everyone wants to spot it!