The Flying Scotsman 2023: where is steam train today, timetable for centenary tour and how to get tickets

It has been 100 years since one the world’s most famous locomotives, The Flying Scotsman, was first built.

In celebration of this historic milestone, the iconic train will also be visiting various heritage railways and taking part in a number of day excursions throughout the year to mark its centenary year, so fans can catch a glimpse of it for themselves. It's already visited a number of places including Edinburgh's Waverley station, and the National Railway Museum, York.

The express passenger train first entered service on 24 February 1923. It was designed by chief engineer Nigel Gresley and built at Doncaster’s London North Eastern Railway works, known locally in South Yorkshire as the Plant, however, it is now owned by the National Railway Museum.

Along with visits to railways across the country, there will also be a programme of events happening at the National Railway Museum in York, North Yorkshire, to mark 100 years since the first journey of the famous train. All of these events began March, with the full programme running until the end of the year.

So, just where will The Flying Scotsman be and when and how can you get tickets? Here’s everything you need to know.

What events will be happening to mark the Flying Scotsman centenary?

Visitors to the National Railway Museum will be able to discover new stories about Flying Scotsman in their special centenary exhibition. Guests will travel through time and share the engine’s greatest moments in a brand-new cutting-edge VR experience also, so they can feel what it was like to travel on one of those maiden journeys.

An exhibition, called Flying Scotsman: 100 Years, 100 Voices, will also be on display. It will showcase documents, photographs and stories from the museum’s archives as well as from a recent public call-out. All tell a story of people whose lives have been impacted by the locomotive.

Where is the Flying Scotsman today, and where will it be visiting in future?

Here is the full programme of where the Flying Scotsman will be visiting, including excursions, day trips and month long visits to heritage railways.

Please note that scheduled dates may be subject to change and new events will be announced throughout the year. We’ll update this article with any new information we receive throughout the year.

Below is the current schedule for events which are still to happen this year, correct at the time of publishing.

• December 16 – Flying Scotsman to spend two weeks in light steam at Locomotion in Darlington

How can I get tickets to the Flying Scotsman centenary events?

For more information about any of these events, and to get tickets to the ones you are interested in, you can visit the National Railway Museum website. You can also sign up to the Flying Scotsman newsletter for more details straight to your email inbox.