To celebrate today, 8th March, being International Women’s Day, the iconic Flying Scotsman locomotive is being crewed by an all-female team on the East Lancashire Railway (ELR).

2023 is the centenary of the construction of Flying Scotsman, the world’s most famous steam locomotive. It is spending time at the East Lancashire Railway, after leaving its home at the National Railway Museum in York and touring railways throughout the UK.

Flying Scotsman will be taking part in a special event to celebrate the past, present, and future of women in rail. An all-female footplate team will drive a train hauled by Flying Scotsman on three round trips on the East Lancashire Railway through the picturesque Lancashire countryside. Passengers on these trips will be from local primary schools, children’s charities, community groups, and the National Railway Museum team.

The public will be able to ride behind Flying Scotsman through the beautiful Irwell Valley and indulge in a luxury dining experience from Saturday, 11th to Sunday, 19th March.

Today’s ground-breaking crew is made up of three volunteers from the East Lancashire Railway, Linda Henderson, Charlotte Instance, Steph Elwood, and Beth Furness from Network Rail who will be driving Flying Scotsman.

Linda Henderson

In 1993, when she was just 14 years old, Linda began volunteering at the East Lancashire Railway along with her mother and younger brother. Since then she has undertaken many different roles at the railway, including dispatcher and signal operations manager, and in March 2017 she became the railway’s first female main-line locomotive driver.

Charlotte Instance

Charlotte joined the East Lancashire Railway in the summer of 2021 and was instrumental in getting the station shop up and running. She soon followed in her great grandfather’s footsteps when she joined the steam crew as a cleaner, including preparing and cleaning Flying Scotsman during one of its previous visits to the railway and has since progressed to become a locomotive driver.

Steph Elwood

Steph had a background in maintenance and repair when she joined the railway in October 2021. Keen to progress further and build on her self-confidence, she was soon put on a fast-track course and passed her firing exam in September last year to become the East Lancashire Railway’s second-ever female fireman.

Beth Furness

Beth’s love for trains began at her local railway when she was 16 years old. Since then, she has worked in various roles including operations, fitting, signalling, and as a fireman. She has previously worked for the National Railway Museum and now works for Network Rail.

Tracey Parkinson has been General Manager at East Lancashire Railway since 2017, with an extensive 28-year background in railways she has worked across a number of roles including as a steam locomotive fireman and mainline fireman. She comments: “This is an incredible opportunity to celebrate the contribution of women in the railway industry and the iconic Flying Scotsman in its 100th year. We are honoured to be a part of it and to have female volunteers crewing the locomotive and in supporting operational roles.

“We want to help shine a spotlight on women in the rail industry over the past 100 years and the future opportunities for women within the railway sector, including at ELR.

“We have some very exciting things planned for Flying Scotsman’s time at the railway, including the chance to ride behind it and enjoy a luxury dining experience. It will also be on static display at our Heywood and Bury Stations for the public to get up close and personal with it.

“We want people of all ages, genders and backgrounds to know that they are welcome at ELR, with or without experience. We offer extensive training programmes across a variety of roles at the railway and our hardworking volunteers are crucial in keeping the doors open.”

Beth Furness, who works as a section planner for Network Rail, said: “Historically the railways have been a male-dominated industry, but this is changing. Since 2017, our female workforce has grown twice as much as our male workforce and today, around 19% of people working at Network Rail are women.

“Never Mind the Gap is an industry-wide collaboration that offers two-week work placements to show women what it takes to be a train driver, work at one of our stations, as well as experience in engineering, communications and investment. Once you join the industry, there’s lots of support available to grow your career.

“I’m hoping that the team today and the magnificent Flying Scotsman can inspire more young women to come forward.”

Judith McNicol, Director of the National Railway Museum said: “Flying Scotsman’s centenary is a chance to celebrate the history of this famous locomotive, but also to reflect on how far we’ve come in terms of women’s opportunities in rail and what still needs to be done. When Flying Scotsman was built in 1923, equal voting for men and women was still five years away and despite playing an important role in keeping the railways running, especially during the world wars, many higher-status occupations were not open to women.

“I hope that by working with our partners to mark International Women’s Day at this event, we can highlight and celebrate the achievements of women in the rail industry.”

The East Lancashire Railway is a registered charity that railway relies heavily on volunteers to operate. It has a team of over 800 dedicated volunteers who work in various roles including running the railway’s pubs, cafes, and special events, repairing, maintaining, and driving trains, and much more.

Further information about volunteering opportunities at the railway or about Flying Scotsman’s visit is available online at https://www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/