Flying Scotsman adventure for engineering students

Sean Bannon, Luke Butler, Joy Blairs, Ben Marshall enjoyed a trip on the Flying Scotsman

Sean Bannon, 16, from Middleton, Luke Butler, 16, from Heywood, Joy Blairs, 23, from Moston and Ben Marshall, 17, from Oldham, got to enjoy a trip on the Flying Scotsman Gauging Train from Pickering to Grosmont earlier this month.

The Hopwood Hall College engineering students were invited courtesy of Riley & Son (E) Ltd, an engineering company who have restored the famous Flying Scotsman back to mainline use.

The College works closely with Riley & Son, as they train some of their engineering apprentices, several of whom had the enviable job of working on the celebrated £4.2m restoration project undertaken on behalf of the National Railway Museum.

Greg McGill Director of Riley & Son, who invited them to be his guests for the day, said: “It was a great day to celebrate the completion of the Flying Scotsman, and I am delighted that some of the Hopwood Hall College Engineering students were here to see history again, in the making.

“Many of our current apprentices at Riley’s have spent countless hours bringing this dream to a reality and today they were able to see the fruition of their hard work.”

The Flying Scotsman is currently on display at the National Railway Museum as the star of its free Stunts, Speed and Style display.