THE world’s most famous steam locomotive will pass through Wellington and Rockwell Green at the end of the month as it celebrates its centenary year.

The iconic Flying Scotsman will be running on a ‘Royal Duchy’ excursion from Bristol to Cornwall for the Railway Touring Company on April 30.

The trip is part of the locomotive’s centenary celebrations which will see it visit many railways across the country.

Built in 1923 at Doncaster Works for the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), the locomotive was retired from regular service in 1963 after covering more than two million miles.

It is now owned by the National Railway Museum, in York, and operated and maintained by Riley and Son (E) Ltd, based in Heywood, Greater Manchester.

The ‘Royal Duchy’ excursion, for which tickets start at £185 for adult passengers, is sold out, but hundreds of railway enthusiasts are expected to gather along the Paddington to Penzance main line in and outside Wellington to catch sight of the Flying Scotsman and to photograph it.

One Wellington transport enthusiast, Chris Penney, of Tonedale, said: “It will be a real thrill to see the Flying Scotsman steaming right through Wellington and over the same section of line which saw the first reported 100 mph running of a steam engine.

“We do not often get a chance to see such a famous locomotive in action right on our doorstep like this. It will be a slice of history for us.

“The Flying Scotsman absolutely epitomises the golden age of steam which I know many people alive today can still recall.

“It is nice to think that she will travel along the stretch of track where our new train station will soon be built to replace the station which was in use during the time the Flying Scotsman was actually in service.”

Locomotive No 60103 will depart Bristol Temple Meads, and call at Yatton, Taunton, Exeter, and Plymouth, before reaching Par, in Cornwall, and then returning after bus trips to Fowey and Charlestown.

Timings of the day trip are not being released publicly for safety reasons.

The route includes travelling along the Exe estuary and the internationally famous sea wall at Dawlish and crossing Brunel’s renowned Royal Albert Bridge, in Saltash, into Cornwall.

In 1934, the Flying Scotsman officially became the first UK locomotive to reach 100 mph on a special test run, although City of Truro is accepted to have unofficially set the record 30 years earlier just outside Wellington at Whiteball Bank, Sampford Arundel, on May 9, 1904.

For the train aficionado, the Flying Scotsman is 70 feet long and weighs 97 tonnes.

More information about the Flying Scotsman and the centenary plans can be found by visiting www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/flying-scotsman.

The National Railway Museum has the largest collection of railway objects in the world and attracts more than 750,000 visitors annually.

Its collection includes more than 260 locomotives and rolling stock, as well as coins, medals, railway uniform and equipment, documents, artwork, and photographs.