Flying Scotsman

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The **Flying Scotsman**, an LNER Class A3 Pacific (formerly an LNER Class A1 Pacific), is the last of Gordon's brothers. He holds the record for being the first engine to officially run at over 100 mph. In addition, Flying Scotsman has been described as the world's most famous steam locomotive. He is named after a service that runs from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley.

## History

### The Railway Series

In 1967, Flying Scotsman came to Sodor to cheer up his only surviving brother, Gordon. He had two tenders at the time he arrived, causing Henry to feel jealous. During his visit, he got on well with most of the Fat Controller's engines and took charge of "the Limited" in place of Bear when Henry rescued both him and D199 as both diesels failed. After his visit, Flying Scotsman left with his owner when the Fat Controller announced that steam engines will still be at work on the North Western Railway.

Gordon later said that Flying Scotsman told him about the Silver Jubilee.

### Thomas & Friends

Flying Scotsman (his name is not mentioned) once visited Sodor and his two tenders appeared emerging out of Brendam. The engines admired his two tenders (except Henry), which the Fat Controller said were due to long distances between coaling depots. Flying Scotsman was not referred to by name and Gordon did not appear to recognise him.

Much later, Flying Scotsman met Thomas at Vicarstown station, where he told him and Gordon that he had been invited to participate in the Great Railway Show on the Mainland. At the show, he saw Gordon in his streamlined form and was shocked, but still started to tease Gordon. He later competed in the Great Race, alongside Gordon, Spencer, Axel and Etienne. During the race, Flying Scotsman tried to warn Gordon that he was overheating, but Gordon paid no attention to him until his boiler had burst and he could not finish the race. Despite trying hard to win, he finished the race fourth, behind Etienne, Spencer and Axel. At the end of the Great Railway Show, Flying Scotsman and Gordon returned to the yard, where he admitted to Gordon that his view on Sudrian engines had improved since their race.

Flying Scotsman was the first engine to encounter Ace and had to avoid him running on the tracks instead of the road. Later that day, when Thomas tricked Gordon into taking his fish trucks for him at the back of the express, Flying Scotsman commented on the smell, jokingly wondering whether it was coming from Gordon or the fish. This sent Gordon screaming in rage at Thomas’ stunt.

When Rebecca was new to Sodor, she arrived too early at Vicarstown and almost took Flying Scotsman's passengers by mistake. He questioned who was behind him, sarcastically thinking it was Gordon. He then preceded to tease Gordon, calling him "little brother". Later that same evening, Flying Scotsman arrived back at Vicarstown and called Gordon "little brother" again. As a result, Rebecca commented on how she thought Gordon may be a bit bigger, leaving Flying Scotsman gobsmacked.

## Personality

In the Railway Series, Gordon was happy to see Flying Scotsman when he came to Sodor. Flying Scotsman proved popular with the engines; however, he did spark a little jealousy with Henry, who proved envious of his two tenders. He provided Gordon and the others reassurance at a time when steam on the Mainland was officially being abolished in favour of modern diesel traction.

In the television series, Flying Scotsman is a polite and proud engine; however he can be pompous and somewhat smug, like his brother Gordon. Despite being friendly with Thomas and giving him a pep talk, he thought that no famous engines came from Sodor and indicated that he viewed Sudrian engines with low expectations. He later changed his mind after seeing the Sudrian engines competing at the Great Railway Show, realising they were made of "sterner stuff" than he initially believed. Additionally, after meeting Rebecca for the second time, her opinion on the "little brother" status left something he never expected while giving Gordon a big laugh at the same time.

Flying Scotsman has a common sibling relationship with Gordon, and enjoys teasing him, referring to him as his "little brother" to annoy him, using his catchphrase as his own, or bragging about being invited to the Great Railway Show. He does care for him though, as shown when Gordon was overheating during the race and Flying Scotsman urgently warned him to stop.

## Livery

In the Railway Series, Flying Scotsman is painted in LNER apple green with black and white lining, black frames with red lining, red-backed nameplates and crests on the sides of his cab. His former company's initials, LNER, (first) or his number 4472 (second) is painted on the sides of his tenders in yellow. This livery is based on a variation of the apple green livery worn by the real Flying Scotsman during the late-1960s, the same time period in which he first appeared in the Railway Series.

In the television series, Flying Scotsman's livery is largely similar to that in the Railway Series, but with several differences. His cylinder covers are painted black with red lining, instead of green with white lining, and the outside of his frames is plain red. Flying Scotsman's front buffer beam in the television series is also missing several details, including his number and extra lining. Additionally, the lining on his tenders varies between his appearances in the model and CGI series. The sides of Flying Scotsman's cab in the television series also have his number 4472 painted on them instead of the crests, as well as extra lining which is not present on the real locomotive's apple green livery.

## Trivia

* Flying Scotsman was intended to have a larger role in the third series episode, *Tender Engines*; however, due to high build costs and reasons of budgeting, the modelling crew could not afford to build the entire engine.
* In the model series, Flying Scotsman's double tenders were simply just two locomotive tenders coupled together; whereas in the CGI series, his first tender is a normal tender whilst his second tender is a water carrier. However, they both lack their corridor connections.
* In the CGI series, Flying Scotsman's double tenders incorrectly have six wheels each, as opposed to the eight wheels each on the real-life Flying Scotsman's tenders. Interestingly however, in real-life, when Flying Scotsman attended the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Park from April 1924 to November 1925, he was fitted with a standard LNER six-wheel tender from a former LNER 'K3' Class 2-6-0 tender engine.
* In *The Great Race*, Flying Scotsman is shown to be able to move his smoke deflectors backwards and forwards, a feature which is not present on the real Flying Scotsman.
* In the CGI series the lining on his double tenders are incorrectly shaped as if they were for a fowler tender, an error that first appeared on his Hornby model.
* Flying Scotsman's coal tender was reused for Duchess.
* Flying Scotsman calls Gordon "Little Brother" despite the fact that Gordon is actually older than him, because Flying Scotsman was built in 1923 while Gordon was built in 1920 as a prototype pacific. The nickname's origin may come from his extra tender, giving Flying Scotsman extra mass and length compared to his brother.
* Flying Scotsman's Ertl and Hornby toys depict him without his second tender as well as the first one being a Fowler tender.
* Flying Scotsman's Ertl toy reuses Gordon's tooling.
* Unlike the other TrackMaster/Motorized tender engines, Flying Scotsman is exclusively available as a three-pack engine, whereas most other engines eventually trickle down to two-packs. This is so that the Flying Scotsman still retains his signature double-tender status.
* The Flying Scotsman never received smoke deflectors and two tenders at the same time in real-life.