A year after hopes for an American future began to fade, No. 4472 Flying Scotsman faced the possibility of sale to satisfy creditors. This first-person account from the August 1973 issue of The Railway Magazine describes the rescue operation, its concealed movement to Oakland and the locomotive’s return to Britain.
Hopes begin to fade
ABOUT a year ago the hopes of a successful American venture with No. 4472, Flying Scotsman, which had sustained Alan Pegler’s spirits for so long, began to fade. First was the possibility of financial sponsorship for a further tour of the USA or possibly Australia, which was eventually abandoned. The second was the passenger service on the San Francisco Belt Railroad (RM August, 1972, page 406). After its first excellent weekend the second produced plenty of socialites, but resistance hardened. Complaints of the whistle noise (obligatory at the many crossings), high crew costs, coupled with a poor tourist season, closed down this operation. In July I accepted the fact that the return of Flying Scotsman to the United Kingdom was about 50 to 1 against, and I was instructed to plan the removal to storage at Sharpe Army Base of the whole train. This was accomplished on August 14, 1972.
Photo: US Army
The rescue appeal
The real rescue operation started with the formation of a committee headed by Alan Bloom, which planned a public appeal. News of creditors pressing hard for payment of long-standing bills in the USA reached the committee in mid-December, and it became increasingly obvious that unless action was taken quickly it might be too late. Mr. Bill McAlpine asked me if I would go to America as soon as possible to check the position with Flying Scotsman Enterprises Inc., a Maryland corporation which then owned 4472.
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A court order in Washington
I flew out to Washington on December 30, 1972, and began talking with the attorney acting for the corporation on the very morning the three principal railroad creditors were seeking a court order to seize the train and sell it. When I heard the news of the combined railroad creditors’ action I begged them to stay their hands (“call the dogs off” is the American expression) but this they refused to do. I then telephoned Bill McAlpine and explained the situation, and he agreed to pay the creditors in return for the freehold on the locomotive. Armed with this promise I went back to the railroads again, but they still seemed suspicious of our intentions, and it was only when I mentioned Bill McAlpine’s involvement with the Dorchester Hotel—everyone in America knows the Dorchester—that they agreed to call off the canine posse. With this question settled I set about planning the movement of the engine and tenders to Oakland ready for lifting.
Arranging the journey to Oakland
Many good friends came forward with offers of assistance, but such were the relations with the Western Pacific Railroad that they had to be assured that this would be the last time they would ever be asked to move the engine, and they also stipulated payment in advance for the move. The General Steamship Company found a suitable ship and also agreed, at Mr. McAlpine’s request, to accept all railway and shipping charges to be paid in London. This removed the complication of currency exchange. It was felt by all that the engine should be prepared for movement with the minimum of publicity, and my conspirators went to work and quietly started on the necessary details.
It was agreed that there should be no press release until the engine was out of San Francisco Bay, but how does one move a steam engine and two tenders in broad daylight some eighty miles through open country and the streets of Oakland without anyone seeing it and the press getting hold of the story? The move was scheduled for Thursday, January 18, to Oakland and into the docks, with the crane lift and sailing for home on Monday, January 22.
A wet departure
As it happened, 4472 was turned on the Army tracks all ready, and in full view of anyone who cared to put two and two together, when there was a landslide in Altoona Pass, because of heavy rains, and the run was postponed for one day. Thursday, January 18, was a wet miserable day, but appropriately on Friday the weather was gorgeous, and with three diesel units, five box cars including a caboose, and 4472 trailing behind, we set off for Oakland. Well lubricated and prepared, we ran the first twenty miles at 20 m.p.h. but all was well and speed was increased to 40 for the rest of the journey.
Incredible as it may seem, no-one in the press, television or radio fields found out about the move, and we were safely inside the Oakland Docks by midnight, with engine and tenders separated and ready for lifting. I learned afterwards that several phone calls had been received by the Western Pacific such as: “What is the green steam engine being moved on your tracks?” Reply was: “Sorry, we don’t know anything about a green steam engine being moved on our tracks.”
Homeward aboard California Star
The locomotive was lifted on January 22 and the m.v. California Star, under Captain Davidson, sailed that night, calling only at Los Angeles. Everyone concerned had a Scotch on the rocks, and was deeply moved that Flying Scotsman was going home. Though we all had much to talk about everyone preferred his own thoughts.
Arrival at Liverpool
Two storms and heavy snowfalls greeted 4472 at Liverpool three weeks later as dockers with cutting equipment removed the supports and stays which had welded the engine and tenders to the deck. The 250-ton floating crane Mammoth gently put 4472 on to its own deck at dusk after a harrowing day due mainly to the appalling weather. Falling snow on top of inches of slush on the deck did nothing to help the lift. The following morning, in slightly better conditions, Mammoth lifted Flying Scotsman over the wall at Huskisson Dock on to British tracks.
Steam raised again
A squad of men from British Railways and Flying Scotsman Enterprises stood by to effect the move to Edge Hill, once engine and tenders were coupled. At first it was decided to tow 4472 to Derby, but shortage of power at Liverpool led to BR inspectors examining Flying Scotsman to see if she could go in steam. I like to feel that, in fact, someone who realised what Flying Scotsman meant to everybody decided to give the engine back her self respect. Two inspectors from Derby gave 4472 a good look over, and pronounced her fit to travel after two small jobs had been done.
Les Richards raised steam on the Utah coal still in the tender on Sunday, February 18, and on the Monday morning we ran Flying Scotsman to Derby, coal in every bearing and steaming to perfection. The British Railways crews enjoyed the run and were full of enthusiasm for the historic occasion.
A remarkable welcome
An estimated 60,000 to 80,000 people lined the tracks in weather conditions ranging from heavy rain through fog to bright sunshine to welcome No. 4472, Flying Scotsman, back home. Les Richards, ex-chief Locomotive Inspector E&NE Regions, who was in charge of 4472 in the USA during the 1970 and 1971 tours, Ron Hawkes, electrician and handyman on the 1970 tour, and myself were very moved by this spontaneous demonstration. Between Chesterfield and Ambergate two RAF Phantom jets dipped their wings and flew low overhead in salute.
Overhaul and future plans
Contrary to external appearances, Flying Scotsman was in very good mechanical condition. The Californian sun and heavy winter rains far above average first took toll of the paintwork, and Force 11 gales in the Pacific and Force 12 in the Irish Sea on her homeward journey did the rest.
British Rail Engineering started work on the restoration in early May, and planned to have Flying Scotsman ready for action by mid-July. Almost all evidence of the American tour has disappeared, and she has been repainted in LNER livery. The second tender was to be painted blue and grey to match coaches, and will not normally be run with the engine unless no extra water is available: present plans indicate no need for this tender. A plaque commemorating the American tour will be fitted.
She was expected to travel to the Torbay Steam Railway around mid-July, to haul trains between Paignton and Kingswear for the summer season. Plans for October are being formulated, and will be announced in due course.
Perhaps readers would like to know who acted for Mr. McAlpine to get Flying Scotsman home. In America, Bill Mann (attorney), Ernie Kirk, Kathy and Howard Herd, Richard Leech, Lowell Clucas, William Wiggins and Pat Olsen. In Britain all legal and financial arrangements were made by Alan Wilson and Tony Raynes, publicity by Clive Gurr, and movements by Les Richards, Ron Hawkes, Geoff Pacey, Charlie Pollard, Derek Cross, Stan Kirk, British Railways Liverpool, Blue Star Line, Lamport & Holt Line, Mersey Docks & Harbour Company and the author.
