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!

On 26th November, LMS Pacific 46233 Duchess of Sutherland came through Market Harborough on a special from Ealing Broadway to York and back.  Hauling a long train of maroon-liveried and Pullman coaches, she made a fine sight – despite being piloted by a diesel locomotive. 
The return run came through at 20:35. By this time, darkness shrouded the train as it stormed though the station, taking a run at the gradient up Desborough bank.  The clouds of white steam reflected the glow of the engine’s fire, giving the illusion of flames leaping and dancing above the cab.  Rather atmospheric!
Tragically, a strike by ASLEF meant that EMR were running no services at all that day (apart from the 00:39 to Derby, which was really the previous evening’s train.)  This special was therefore the only passenger train through Market Harborough on 26th November.   In turn, this meant that all passenger trains though our station that day were the steam hauled*; the first time this has happened since 1957!
* Let’s give it the benefit of the doubt and ignore the supporting diesel locomotive!  

Market Harborough station was experiencing untypically wintry weather on Saturday 27th November when LMS Pacific No 6233 Duchess of Sutherland came through.  She was hauling The Yuletide Express from Ealing Broadway to York on what turned out to be a stormy day.  The return run through Market Harborough was slightly delayed, but it was good to see the engine in darkness, working hard to recover lost time.

No, not a member of the peerage; rather, the LMS Princess Coronation class locomotive of that name, no. 6233, built in 1938.  She is now preserved in main-line operating condition and is a regular performer on railtours, such as between Ealing and York via Kettering and the famous Harringworth viaduct.  However, on Saturday 21st December 2019, she became the first steam locomotive to travel through the realigned track and platforms at Market Harborough, passing through on time at 12:39.  She was on her way from her base at Southall, West London, to the Midland Railway Centre at Butterley, Derbyshire, hauling only her two support coaches.  Nonetheless, she made a fine sight as she passed through at speed, exchanging greetings with the HST - another main-line classic - that was forming the slightly delayed 12:26 to St Pancras on the opposite platform.    (Photo: Bill Jones)