Alan Pegler OBE, Northwich 4472 'Flying Scotsman' Photo: Eddie Bellass, September 18th 1965.

            Alan Pegler as a young boy first saw LNER Class A3 4472 'Flying Scotsman' in Wembley at the 1924 British Empire Exhibition. 
In 1962, British Railways announced that they would scrap ‘Flying Scotsman'. A group called "Save Our Scotsman" were unable to raise the £3,000 scrap value of the locomotive that would prevent this. Pegler stepped in and bought the locomotive outright, with the political support of Prime Minister Harold Wilson. He spent the next few years spending large amounts of money having the locomotive restored at Doncaster Works and then 'persuaded' the British Railways Board to let him run enthusiasts' specials. ‘Flying Scotsman’ was at that time the only steam locomotive running on mainline British Railways.
In 1969, Prime Minister Wilson agreed to support Pegler via the Trade Department, running the locomotive in the United States and Canada to support British exports. 
In 1970, Edward Heath's Conservative Party ousted Wilson's Labour government and withdrew support. Pegler had no option but to fund the tour himself during that same year.
By the end of the Flying Scotsman tour in 1972 the money had run out and Pegler was declared bankrupt at a cost of £132,000 in debt, with the locomotive in storage in U.S. Army Sharpe depot to keep it away from unpaid creditors.
In 1973, in a rescue mission, ‘Flying Scotsman’ was sold to rail enthusiast Sir William McAlpine, who returned it to the UK.
   

Taken on: January 8, 2025

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Alan Pegler OBE

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Sets appears in: • EDDIE BELLASS • PEOPLE

Groups appears in: • Smoke & Steam • Trainspotting more » • UK Steam • Steam Locomotives • Steam in the UK • Your Very Best Railroad Photos • LIFE ON THE RAILWAYS • 1,000,000 TRAINS • Rail UK : Railways of North West England • Flying Scotsman • GB Railways • Stockport and Peak District Railways • All Locomotives, Trains and Trams • Rail-UK Forum • WNXX • Rails around the North West. • Best of British Steam • 8D Association (covering Mersey and North Cheshire areas) • Rail Enthusiasts Worldwide Opted out 30/60 • Northern England Rail • UK Rail: Cheshire railways • Gen-Northern Picture Gallery • UK Steam on the Mainline « less

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