TRAIN lovers and rail enthusiasts were treated to iconic steam engine The Flying Scotsman passing through stations in the Bradford district on its way to Carlisle on Sunday.

The steam locomotive, regarded as the most famous in the world, passed Shipley, Bingley and Keighley as it hauled The Railway Touring Company’s train ‘The Waverley’.

One person, who sent the T&A images of the engine arriving at Keighley Station, said: "There was a healthy crowd of enthusiasts on Keighley Station as the train arrived, bang on time at 11.22am. 

"Flying Scotsman looked pristine, with its paintwork glistening in the morning sun. It paused for around three minutes at Keighley while it picked up passengers. There was a lot of excitement on the platform, but nobody overstepped the mark and got carried away."

It offered many a great chance to see Doncaster-built 60103 in action on the national rail network.

However, before its arrival onlookers were urged not to get carried away and to watch from a safe distance.

The tour boarded at York, Leeds, Keighley and Skipton on its way to Carlisle, but exact timings were not revealed to avoid overcrowding and risk of trespass.

For keen photographer Tom Balaam, aged 57, from Shipley, it was a chance to fulfil an ambition.

Mr Balaam said: "I've wanted to photograph a steam train going over the Ribblehead Viaduct, and on Sunday, I managed to fulfil that ambition. Not only that, the steam train in question was the Flying Scotsman, which made it even better."

The iconic loco is marking its 100th year in 2023 and, as part of the Centenary celebrations organised by the National Railway Museum, it is hauling a number of steam specials, including ‘The Waverleys’ across the famous Settle & Carlisle Line.

Sunday's trip arrived back in York pretty much to schedule. At one point, near Settle Junction, it had been 25 minutes down on the return leg, but that time was made up at Hellifield, where the planned hour-long stop was reduced to around half an hour.

‘The Waverley’ trains are being hauled by 60103 Flying Scotsman on Sundays, inclduding November 19 and December 10, departing from stations in Yorkshire. 

Officially the first steam locomotive to reach 100mph, 60103 Flying Scotsman was built at Doncaster and completed in 1923. Designed by Sir Nigel Gresley and built for the LNER, the locomotive was named ‘Flying Scotsman’ in 1923 and continued in regular service until 1963 and then later in preservation.