Locals on-board legendary locomotive

To the uninitiated, the long procession snaking its way along the fields in Wymington, must have looked a little baffling - why were 150 people, give or take a grandma, out so early on this misty morning making their way towards the passenger railway line around half a mile away?

This was a sight in itself worth seeing and fun to be part of because we were in on ‘the secret’ and would shortly become part of the legend that is the Flying Scotsman.

As a regular dog walker across these fields you get to know the ‘die-hard’ walkers of which June Tobin is one - rain or shine June can be seen out with her Border Collie Max. 

Pensioners June and her husband Terry also happen to be keen steam train enthusiasts and seeing an article in the Evening Telegraph in November of last year about the Flying Scotsman, decided to book it.

‘We always watch any steam trains that go through Wymington and after seeing the story in the Evening Telegraph about the Flying Scotsman, we decided that we wanted to be on it. It didn’t prove that easy though as I had to try three times to get tickets and eventually because Premium Class was sold out we had to settle for normal tickets’, said June.

So on Saturday 4 June, at 8.50am, while we were keenly waiting with wet knees in a wheat field, an excited Terry and June were boarding in Bedford to set off for York.

Slightly delayed from Victoria because of ‘photographers on the line’, (makes a change from wet leaves) who were later arrested; the Flying Scotsman didn’t reach us until 9.30am.

At last however, we heard a distant whistle, the line hummed quietly and then a quiet chuffing, growing louder as it approached until the Flying Scotsman appeared in all its glory, steaming confidently along pulling 11 vintage carriages behind. The delighted crowd waved, took pictures and videos and then in a few seconds, it was gone.

But not for Terry and June who said: ‘We were amazed to see so many people had turned up to see the train, especially our friends in Wymington and we felt like royalty sitting on the train waving back’.

With their journey just begun they thought things couldn’t get much more exciting, but a £5.00 raffle ticket bought on-board proved to be the icing on the cake.

 June told me: ‘We couldn’t believe it, we won first prize in the raffle and guess what, it was two tickets to travel Premium Class in a steam train of our choice! So we have not only had one trip of a lifetime but can look forward to another one soon!’

Which just goes to show that the Flying Scotsman is still working its magic whether you are on-board or track side.

To watch my video, please click here.