Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

The Flying Scotsman locomotive collided with another train in Scotland. Several people were injured

The Flying Scotsman's front name plate and its number are seen as the train prepares to leave Kings Cross railway station in London for its journey to York, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Alastair Grant The Flying Scotsman's front name plate and its number are seen as the train prepares to leave Kings Cross railway station in London for its journey to York, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Alastair Grant
Share
LONDON -

Several people were injured after the Flying Scotsman, the historic steam locomotive that's celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, was involved in a low-speed crash with another heritage train in the Scottish Highlands, authorities said Saturday.

The National Railway Museum said the "shunting incident" took place at Aviemore Station in the Cairngorms National Park on Friday. The station is home to a heritage train line that takes visitors on steam train trips in northern Scotland.

The locomotive -- often described as the world's most famous steam engine -- was scheduled to run short trips this weekend from the station as part of its centenary celebrations.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said that emergency workers were alerted on Friday night "to reports of a collision" involving two trains at Aviemore. Police Scotland said the crash took place at "low speed."

Two people were hospitalized as a precaution, and their injuries weren't believed to be serious. Three others were treated at the scene and didn't require hospital treatment.

The Belmond and Strathspey Railway said the Flying Scotsman locomotive was being coupled with stationary Royal Scotsman train carriages when the collision took place. Police said that an investigation was underway.

The locomotive will not haul any trains this weekend while it awaits inspection on Monday, and carriages from the Royal Scotsman were also being assessed. That left many train fans who had traveled from far and wide for the special journey disappointed, local media reported.

The Flying Scotsman went in service in 1923 and was given its famous name a year later. The train connected passengers from London to Edinburgh. It rose to global fame when it recorded 100 mph (160 kph) on a special test run in 1934, making it the first locomotive in the U.K. to reach that speed. The train was retired from regular service in 1963.

Since then the locomotive has toured the U.S. and Australia and continued to run special train trips in the U.K. until it was acquired by the National Railway Museum in York, which in recent years undertook a multimillion-pound project to restore it.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Two and a half years after losing her best friend and first love to suicide, Brooke Ford shared her story of grief and resilience at the CMHA Windsor-Essex Suicide Awareness Walk.

An Ottawa driver has been charged with stunt driving after being caught going 154 km/h on Highway 417, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

opinion

opinion How to make the most out of your TFSA

The Tax-Free Savings Account can be a powerful savings tool and investment vehicle. Financial contributor Christopher Liew explains how they work and how to take full advantage of them so you can reach your financial goals faster.

Local Spotlight

A tale about a taxicab hauling gold and sinking through the ice on Larder Lake, Ont., in December 1937 has captivated a man from that town for decades.

When a group of B.C. filmmakers set out on a small fishing boat near Powell River last week, they hoped to capture some video for a documentary on humpback whales. What happened next blew their minds.

A pizza chain in Edmonton claims to have the world's largest deliverable pizza.

Sarah McLachlan is returning to her hometown of Halifax in November.

Wayne MacKay is still playing basketball twice at Mount Allison University at 87 years old.

A man from a small rural Alberta town is making music that makes people laugh.

An Indigenous artist has a buyer-beware warning ahead of Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Police are looking to the public for help after thieves broke into a Lethbridge ice creamery, stealing from the store.

An ordinary day on the job delivering mail in East Elmwood quickly turned dramatic for Canada Post letter carrier Jared Plourde. A woman on his route was calling out in distress.