The Flying Scotsman Worldwide Tour - A Collaborative Supplement to BSiC

[QTXAdsy]

Chapter 1: Jolly Good Company
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To many walking past him down the streets of London that chilly December evening in 1969 would've thought nothing of a rather nervous looking man in the crowd. The man in question was a gentlemen by the name of Alan Peglar, who in railway terms was famed for being the owner of Flying Scotsman after saving the famous locomotive from the scrapyard in 1963. From that year and the current year, he had taken his locomotive across the British rail network to the delight of millions, though it all seemed to pale in comparison to what he had achieved just a few months ago.

He had always wanted to bring his locomotive to the North America and tour the states, but the costs of such a venture proved to put him off the idea. However as part of what was pretty much an extension of 'Buy British', the Labour government got behind the idea of a goodwill tour across the USA and many big business all wanted to join in on the big adventure to showcase their products to an expected American audience.

That all said, would it all work out? The United States had managed to pull of a joint Moon landing with the Soviets and had long since disposed of steam since 1960 and the thought of a British steam locomotive at the age of 46 years old promoting the best of British seemed like the New World would be all too far technology advanced. In the end, there was only one way to find out...America or bust

From October to November, Flying Scotsman and it's train travelled from Boston to Houston and to the delight of many, not only was the glamourous locomotive had crowds follow her wherever she went, but businesses connected with the tour all took great delight in that many of their products were being bought by the American public. In conclusion, despite some of the high running costs, the tour was deemed to be a successful one with a further one planned for 1970 to tour the Midwest and Canada with the locomotive and it's train being put into storage at a roundhouse at Slaton in Texas for the winter while everyone else went home.

For Peglar, it did feel rather scary to think that his prize and joy was 3000 miles away in another country, but he had hoped he had expected to receive a warm reception from the Board of Trade for flying the flag for Britain and the hopes of getting more funds for the second tour. Instead, he had been left cold when the response he had gotten from them had been a rather lukewarm one as it seemed to them they didn't like the idea of a vintage steam locomotive trying to promote a modern Britain in teh eyes of the American public and it was clear that no more funds were to be given.

It seemed that now he was going to have to find funds on bringing the locomotive home, however it seemed that fate had other ideas for as word got about that the Board of Trade had acted, Peglar would get an unlikely phone call from one such character who stated that if he was to win the next general election, he would help fund the next tour...Randolph Churchill

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On the streets of London, Peglar found the tea room where he was to meet Churchill for a one-to-one meeting regarding plans.

Funnily enough, this wasn't the first time he was dealing with a Churchill connection. On the tour, he had to deliver two Pullman cars to Green Bay which had been used by General Eisenhower and Winston Churchill during the Second World War as part as a gift to the Railroad Museum out there, plus even Winston's own great-nephew, John Spencer Churchill, was also on the tour to add to the Churchill connection.

In hindsight as Peglar thought about it, he honestly shouldn't have been surprised that he was meeting with Randolph with all the connections previously mentioned. When he entered, he managed to catch sight of the hopeful Prime Minster to-be and he motioned Peglar over to sit with him.

"Good evening, Alan," Churchill greeted him warmly as he shook his hand.

"And to you as well," Peglar replied as he sat down with him. "This is rather an unexpected pleasure to see you."

"And I dare say for you too," Churchill added as he drank some of his tea. "Now...I did hear how the Board of Trade acted towards you. Disgraceful if you ask me."

Peglar rubbed his moustache thoughtfully. "I will say I was disappointed in their treatment, but it does make the next tour look unlikely because of this."

"When were you planning on starting?"

"In July, if we were to get any funds."

Churchill smiled. "Ahh, perfect. If we win the next election, I promise we will give you funds needed."

"Are you sure about this?" Peglar asked with suspicion.

"Of course we will," Churchill informed him. "In fact, it isn't a case of voluntary, but that a goodwill tour is very much needed to help promote our interests abroad. With the current political climate being what it is, we do need another tour more than ever."

Peglar nodded as he thought about it, he could see Randolph's point. True enough, things were rough in Britain with the Rhodesia conflict and the troubles in Northern Ireland did make the country looked unsettled in the eyes of the world, but could his Flying Scotsman actually help, in a small way at least, to promote better relations in the Untied States?

Alan Peglar didn't know what to think about it. He was grateful that someone wanted to help him, yet it needed for Randolph and the Conservatives to win the election and even if they did, it all did feel rather too good to be true...was it? "Sir, I would be happy if you could help us carry on the North American tour."

"Ah, about that," Randolph interrupted with a gleam in his eye. "I brought you here for a reason regarding that..."

"W...what do you mean?"

"Where'd did I say it was just a North American tour...?"

Peglar's eyes widened. "Y-you...I'm sorry, what?"

Churchill now grinned widely. "How would like to take an additional holiday to Australia and Japan? We would be needing to spread goodwill out there too."

"Good heavens!" Peglar gasped. "You want to take the old girl out there?! Do you really mean all this?"

"Indeed good sir," Churchill chuckled. "Are you in or out?"

The locomotive owner had to take a moment to let it all sink in. A Worldwide tour of Flying Scotsman? Never in his wildest dreams could he imagine such a venture and the idea just seemed such an exciting prospect that seemed too good to put down. That all being said, he had angered many railway enthusiasts at home over the idea of taking Flying Scotsman to the States, to now say that he was to take the locomotive to the land of the rising sun and down under was likely to cause an uproar among them.

Still, this goodwill tour wasn't really about Peglar or his engine truthfully (both he and his engines were merely ambassadors), this was about Britain and it was a tour he was willing to do for Queen and country and the country perhaps needed help with it's industry. He then gave the hopeful soon to be prime minster a smile and offered his hand for a handshake, in which Churchill happily accepted.

"You win, and we're in."

Sure enough just a few months later in June, Randolph and his conservative party would win the 1970 General Election and as promised, he granted the funds needed for not only this new tour of North America, but now of Japan and Australia. Some things would never be quite the same again...

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Before I go into detail about anything, I have gotten permission by @President_Lincoln to create this as a supplement for his excellent Turtledove nominated TL 'Blue Skies in Camelot'. So what will this be about? Well the PoD for Flying Scotsman here is rather than Heath's government not allow for any further funds, Randolph's government does and it doesn't just mean a tour of America.

Indeed, plans were actually in place for a tour of Japan and Australia afterwards, though the latter would be achieved years later in 1988 as part of the nation's bicentenary celebrations. Hope you will enjoy this and the tour will go similar to OTL's one until we get to early 1971 in which this TL will see the tour change. I hope that this little subplement of mine was satisfying for your likes @President_Lincoln Anyway, next update will be of Flying Scotsman in Northern California. Until then, catch you next time!

 

[President_Lincoln]

You're off to a great start, @QTXAdsy! Keep up the good work and I can't wait to read more.

 

[Cockroach]

Japan... Issue would be they mainly used (and on most non HSR still mainly use) 1067mm narrow gauge rather than 1435mm standard gauge... So there's not many routes the Flying Scotsman could actually operate on...

 

[QTXAdsy]

You're off to a great start, @QTXAdsy! Keep up the good work and I can't wait to read more.

Thank you! I will admit some dates of the US tour might have to be tweaked in order what had been planned before, then again it'll work better here.

Japan... Issue would be they mainly used (and on most non HSR still mainly use) 1067mm narrow gauge rather than 1435mm standard gauge... So there's not many routes the Flying Scotsman could actually operate on...

I am aware of this and this'll be noted later on for the Japan leg of the tour. Scotsman will likely have to go 'under the wires' in this case...

 

[QTXAdsy]

Chapter 2: In the Heat of the Moment: The 1970 Tour

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Despite the high costs of operation across America, the gimmick nature of it and even the sheer lunacy by some, the 1969 tour was deemed a success and plans were well underway for such a second tour the follow year due to kick off next summer. Many of the big businesses who had been part of the tour such as British Petroleum, Lloyds Bank and the Royal Shakespeare Company to name a few all reported to have done a good trade with newer clients out Stateside and many of those involved wanted to be part of the second tour to find new potential clients. Regardless how strange the tour had been, it had worked wonders and with newer businesses wishing to be part of the second tour, it seemed that it would all be set for another successful venture.

However following the end of the first tour, the Labour Government tried it's hardest to put businesses off the tour with the feeling that the idea of a vintage steam engine trying to promote a modern British economy and create goodwill seemed to be a turn off for them and even something of an embarrassment, plus the high running costs out there didn't exactly help matters even with Pegler feeling that the second tour would have to be cancelled and send the engine home. However following the election of Randolph Churchill's Conservative government following their victory in the 1970 election, Churchill kept his promise to Peglar and not only did they bring out the funds needed for the tour to begin in July, a month after the election no less, they even went out of their way to bring in those new business partners that had been put off the previous government back on board for this tour.

Many of the previous big businesses were back and the newer businesses were British Leyland, the National Coal Board and Glenfiddich whiskey joining in for the big tour. The second tour would start from Slaton, Texas which it would then head on towards Fort Worth, Kansas City, St Louis and Chicago before finally arriving at Green Bay on for the National Railroad Museum for July 19th where, as promised on the start of the tour, would leave the two Pullman coaches there as a gift to go along Scotsman's fellow Doncaster cousin, A4 Dwight D. Eisenhower, which had been presented as a gift itself for the United States back in 1964. Flying Scotsman would remain there for a month before heading over to Canada to carry on the rest of the tour where she would head to Toronto, Montreal, Québec City and Halifax before heading west where she'd visit Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver.

It was indeed was one heck of an ambitious tour, much more so than the last one and it wasn't surprising that things didn't quite go to plan. One of the bearings for the Pullman coaches, Isle of Thanet, ran hot and it was relief that it would be dumped at Green Bay though perhaps a more serious problem happened when on the trip north to Canada, the locomotive's trailing wheels derailed and frantic repairs had to be taken which did delay tour of Canada. Nonetheless despite these mishaps, Flying Scotsman would be a hit wherever she went with many taking the chance to catch the sight of a glamourous foreign steam locomotive and train in the area while many were caught by surprise of seeing a steam locomotive working on the mainline.

While the tour of Midwest was a hit, it was when the tour crossed over the border into Canada when things really took off for better or for worse. When the tour reached Canada, things had been difficult for the country as in the previous year, Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau had been murdered by Charles Manson and only a few months previously, Quebec nationalists had been causing problem throughout the country. With all this going on in Canada, some on the tour and back in government at home wondered if a Goodwill tour of promoting the best of British across the country was even in good taste.

To the amazement of those on the train when Flying Scotsman arrived in Toronto that August, they were greeted by thousands lining the trackside welcoming this famous locomotive and even when she arrived at Union Station, she was greeted by a pipe band and there was a considerable interest among the Scottish expats out there due to it's name, had it been one of her sisters such as Prince Palatine or Papyrus, this might've not happened. Being the goodwill ambassador that he was, Alan Peglar made a speech to thank the Canadian public for welcoming them and hoped to extend strong relations between Canada and the United Kingdom in these hard times. The tour would carry on through Ontario were many seemed more than happy to see this locomotive in their area and after all the fears that a tour might be badly timed due to recent events, it seemed that not only were people happy to see Scotsman, but actually saw it as a very much welcomed feel good factor that was needed.

​

The train would carry on to Quebec were despite warnings by the locals that they shouldn't venture over due to the recent troubles that had happened, but feeling that they could do no wrong, they went out ahead to Montreal. Compared to the hero's welcome they got in Toronto, the reception when the arrived in Montreal was, at best, lukewarm. Some Quebec nationalists thought of the tour as nothing more than some ego trip by the British trying to side-line with the Canadian government. It was however when the reached Quebec City that things turn took a nasty turn for the worse when the train was stationed in a siding, some gang of youths threw rocks at the train and damaged one of the windows and even one managed to hit the side of the cab which looked like it had ben hit by a bullet.

Things were more scary for the touring party as one of the fireman on the trip, David Court of Doncaster, would be attacked one night as he was heading to the hotel by the same gang that had attempted to wreck the train. With all this, the shaken crew would make a hasty retreat from Quebec, cancelling the rest of the tour to Halifax, early the next day and it would be remembered the most frightening time of the tour in which Peglar would describe as being in the 'heat of the moment' as they left the area. As bad as their experience might've been, with Scotsman having the dent to prove her time in Quebec, little was anyone to know was to happen in October later that year...

The tour would carry on west to Vancouver and Winnipeg were things would be happily more akin to the greeting she received in Toronto, though the scare in Quebec did leave the Conservative Government at home to seriously consider to pull the plug on what as now being seen a crazy expedition with several business on the tour thinking the same. None of that did happen and the rest of the tour went without a hitch, concluding in late September, with businesses on the tour all reporting that they had all done good trading. Though the long distance that Scotsman had travelled did take it's toll as at the end of the tour when Flying Scotsman went back east to Toronto where she was to be kept under cover at Spadina roundhouse for the winter, the locomotive suffered leaking tube and had to be towed back by a diesel some thirty miles from her destination.

It was a rather anticlimactic ending to a tour that a fair share of drama much more than those who had wanted, still it proved that the last tour was no fluke and plans were being drawn up for a third and final tour of the States, this time with a trip to the west coast where many of the business thought would be the honeypot for British trade out there. But as Flying Scotsman was left with her train in Toronto with the British crew all heading home, she would find herself in a country that for the rest of the year, was gripped by troubles from Quebec with fears from UK rail enthusiasts that if the worse case scenario happened and Canada would be gripped in a state of civil war, the locomotive might be destroyed. To the relief of many, that nightmare thought didn't happen, though many demanded for Scotsman to return home in which meant 1971 and no questions asked. One more tour would be begin and it was to be an odyssey to the west coast. California here comes the Scotsman!

Next time: Go West Young Man: The 1971 Tour

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Here we are! Sorry for not it being Californea as promised, but seeing how things are different in Canada ITTL, I thought I'd ought to try and see what a bigger budget tour and all the differences in Canada would pan out here with the idea going west being something she didn't do in Canada in OTL due to the cuts and money woes. But yeah, if you have any ideas where the tour should head to on the way west or future touring locations in Australia and Japan or anywhere else would be very much welcomed So see you next time!

 

[QTXAdsy]

Chapter 3: Scotsman Goes To Disneyland: The 1971 Tour

(Left) Scotsman prepares to leave Canada for the West Coast, 1971 (Right) The guide girls acting as 'Front of House' for the trip that had been part of the tour since 1969 and would do so for 1971
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With all the drama that had happened in the last tour, the British Government, the business backers and Board of Trade all were hoping for a much less dramatic tour and one that was expected to the final tour of Flying Scotsman's adventure of North America and that was to be big finale, the big trip to California. When the tour was first being planned in early 1969, it would've been foolish for the British to not go to the West Coast as that was where, according to some, where the money was and with all the glamour and romance of going west, why not? There was also a more practical reason of going, in San Francisco that September, there was to a 'British Week' out there and it seemed like the perfect excuse to head out there and so in late August, Flying Scotsman left her Canadian winter quarters and back over the border to the States.

There was one notable thing that would be well remember for this tour that Alan Peglar would finally get the chance to do that he couldn't do back with British Rail...drive his very own locomotive. When any press men or railway officials were left stunned when Peglar told them that he couldn't drive his own locomotive, they all would say the same thing. "You own the engine, you'd better drive the Goddamn thing!" To his amazement, Peglar found out that the American Rail Authorities were less strict that compared to all the red tape to deal with in Britain and so prior to the '71 tour, Peglar took a brief course in making him legal to drive on the railroads. At long last, he was able to drive his own locomotive an even better, across America and along some of the most spectacular scenery in the world, if this was to be the final trip of the tour then Peglar was going out on a high note.

The '71 tour sent south over the Canadian border and on to Joliet, on the outskirts of Chicago where the trip turned west and went full steam ahead to San Francisco. It was to be Flying Scotsman's most ambitious Stateside tour yet as the trip became something of an epic expedition westwards and like many times, many US railfans lined the track to welcome the Scotsman whenever she went by with the majority of people being stunned at the rare sight of seeing a steam engine, let alone a foreign one, running on American metals. There was always however to be some cuts to the tour with a reduced staff presence as a way of helping the running costs for this tour and the trip became something akin to that of a road trip movie with Photographers, students, industrialists, girls on their way home to California, all became part of the train crew and given regular tasks to help in any way they could. This attention didn't go unnoticed with this activity all being part of the idea of a future film that was to be released a few years later simply titled Stateside Scotsman which would be based on the events of this.

With budget cuts, getting good coal proved to be a problem with the locomotive steaming poorly on sometimes and the quality was only getting worse the further west it went and the lack of maintenance proved to be another headache as there no place that could provide spare parts needed, let alone that the facilities to treat steam locomotives had all been removed, and so a lot of improvisation was needed. In summery, Flying Scotsman's survival was based on her reliability. However against all the odds that seemed to conspire the Brits, the touring party finally made it to San Francisco for September and she became the first British steam locomotive to reach that far west and when the welcome the locomotive received in Sacramento was quite incredible was thousands parking their cars trackside to welcome them, though there were sadly some protesters that lined the route that were there to protest the UK's involvement in Rhodesia which did damper the great welcome they had gotten coming to California.

Though it wasn't the only anti-war protest it had come across as the United States as in that month when the tour arrived, the ongoing conflicted with American troops in Cambodia did see a nation with it's pride shattered and with the British involvement in Rhodesia, one had to think if doing a goodwill tour during this period was actually in good taste. Despite the timing, it seemed many in the area were willing to have something good happen and the British crew proved their part in acting as good ambassadors to their country with them willing to keep politics out and focus on the special relationship of the USA and the UK in this trying times.

Flying Scotsman touring the streets of San Francisco, 1971. Note Peglar leaning out the cab window on the right
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After all the problems getting here and amiss a trying background, it was of great relief when the businesses on aboard reported goods sales and while most of those on board had been part of the last two tours, there was to one newer additions which did raise many eyebrows, the inclusion of the UK Space Agency (UKSA). Having been formed that year and with the Government wanting to show the American public that the UK had an up and coming space industry and the hope that the two nations would help each other in reaching the stars together. While this seemed like a good thing, many did find it ironic that a vintage steam locomotive, then at the age of 48 in 1971, was out promoting space flight. Truly two very different worlds together in strange circumstances.

The tour would go around the west where it would head away from it's San Francisco and Sacramento base camps and head out to places in the north such as Portland and Seattle before heading south where Flying Scotsman reached Los Angeles, San Jose and San Diego where the British crew joked that once they reached Hollywood, it was fame and fortune for them now. There was even a brief consideration of heading south of the border and tour round Mexico in order to promote British/Mexican relations there, however it was decided to dismiss any further tours and focus on the West coast of the USA. It was during it's tour round Los Angeles that perhaps had one of the more memorable parts of the tour in which Scotsman reached Anaheim and found itself quite literally on the doorstep to Disneyland and here was when Alan Peglar and his seventeen year old daughter, Penny, found themselves invited to Disneyland, who would turn that down?

Alan and Penny somewhere near Los Angeles
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For the tour, the trip to Disneyland proved to be a welcome break for the crew and it was something of a dream for many to be there in the place they had only read about and seemed a million miles away from life in the UK and for Alan and his daughter, a wonderful farther/daughter bonding experience to get away from a gruelling schedule. Peglar would recall that the higher ups at Disney would say that it was a regret that Walt Disney himself was unable to welcome Flying Scotsman to the area as being a railway fan himself, he'd no doubt he would've gotten a right kick out having a shot of driving the famous locomotive if he had the chance to. In Burbank, the location of the Walt Disney Animation Studio, saw the chance of some British animation companies that had been on the tour to propose future joint works to help promote British animation across the world. So much was the goodwill being generation was that the animation studio even gave the Flying Scotsman touring group an exclusive sneak preview, as part of their thanks, of an early cut of The Snow Queen, due for release in 1973.

The 1971 tour was undoubtfully, despite some of the political events surrounding the trip, was a huge success and the myth of getting rich out in the west seemed to work and the companies all involved reported good business and a much needed bit of good news for Churchill's government to help the British economy pick up with it's industry. After heading up and down the west coast of the States, the great North American tour finally came to an end in October and Flying Scotsman and her train moved to Oakland ready to be lifted from American soil. The coaches would leave first and were earmarked for a potential tour else where while Scotty would head home on a separate voyage to Britain via the Panama canal (consequently becoming the first British locomotive to sail home through the Panama canal.)

She would finally arrive back at Liverpool Docks over a month later in December and there was one more final moment to really end the whole adventure on high note. When Flying Scotsman left Britain in 1969, steam was banned on the mainline and looked like it would never return. However just as Flying Scotsman left America, something happened in which steam locomotives were allowed to operate on selective steam routes and it was all a different world to one she'd left behind. The original plan was for Scotty to be toad to Derby by a diesel for work to be carried out on her there, but upon checking her over by British Rail staff who found that despite looking worn due to the Atlantic crossing, she was in good condition to work, but still would need permission to operate under her own steam and this was fall to the regional manager, Dick Hardy.

Dick Hardy was considered to be one the greatest operating men to ever work on the railways and a die hard steam enthusiast at heart, no way would he refuse Scotsman working under her own power from Liverpool to Derby. Like a royal visit, over a hundred thousand people lined the route to welcome the traveller home and there was even a fly by of RAF Phantom Fighter Bombers to salute her, all that was missing it seemed was the church bells to be ringing in celebration. When she arrived at Derby, there to welcome Scotsman and Alan Peglar was Randolph Churchill himself to congratulate Peglar for the goodwill the tour had brought for UK/US relations in this times and already were planning ahead for the next mad trip...Australia and Japan, but only Peglar had time to get his cup of tea...

Flying Scotsman is welcomed to Derby in December 1971, note some of the American features have been removed from the locomotive

Next Time: Samurai Scotsman

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So here we are! This is part of the tour which has the big POD in which this is were it all went wrong for the tour as Peglar was bankrupt and the locomotive would not return until 1973. With the tour being a far greater success here, the orginal plan of going to Japan and Australia will take place. What year should I do? 1972 or '73? Any ideas you might have to add for any plot details or historical facts I'd be thankful for plus how are you enjoying this so far @President_Lincoln as I hope it is tying into tie in well with BSiC. Until then, catch you later in the land of the rising sun...

 

[GeorgeUK]

Looks good so far. Subscribed.

 

[Bernard Woolley]

The Cuckoo going on a world tour would have been quite an event. I wonder if this changes things ownership wise and she still ends up with the NRM?

 

[QTXAdsy]

The Cuckoo going on a world tour would have been quite an event. I wonder if this changes things ownership wise and she still ends up with the NRM?

With Peglar still as owner, that was his original plan had he still owned it.

 

[Bernard Woolley]

With Pegler as owner I'd hope we don't get the restoration fiasco of @. It was a crying shame to see what happened to other, equally deserving projects while Scotsman became a money pit (much as I like her). For example I remember seeing the pioneering Class 40 being stored outside with big rust holes in its body work.

 

[QTXAdsy]

With Pegler as owner I'd hope we don't get the restoration fiasco of @. It was a crying shame to see what happened to other, equally deserving projects while Scotsman became a money pit (much as I like her). For example I remember seeing the pioneering Class 40 being stored outside with big rust holes in its body work.

A reason for the restoration becoming a farce as it became was when her overhaul before last saw her being 'modified' which in hindsight did more harm than good and ultimately the last overhaul being as expensive as it was.

One thing is for sure is that overhaul in 1996-99 will be very different in OTL. Scotsman will likely end up in NRM ownership by at least the early 90's, but there is still a lot to get through first.

 

[President_Lincoln]

So here we are! This is part of the tour which has the big POD in which this is were it all went wrong for the tour as Peglar was bankrupt and the locomotive would not return until 1973. With the tour being a far greater success here, the orginal plan of going to Japan and Australia will take place. What year should I do? 1972 or '73? Any ideas you might have to add for any plot details or historical facts I'd be thankful for plus how are you enjoying this so far @President_Lincoln as I hope it is tying into tie in well with BSiC. Until then, catch you later in the land of the rising sun...

I'm loving what you've done with the TL so far, @QTXAdsy! I can't wait to see more of what you've come up with. One of my forthcoming updates will cover the 1974 UK General Election and the 1974 World Cup, both of which could possibly play a role here. Since I don't want to spoil anything for BSiC fans, if you have questions before those updates come out, feel free to PM me.

 

[QTXAdsy]

I'm loving what you've done with the TL so far, @QTXAdsy! I can't wait to see more of what you've come up with. One of my forthcoming updates will cover the 1974 UK General Election and the 1974 World Cup, both of which could possibly play a role here. Since I don't want to spoil anything for BSiC fans, if you have questions before those updates come out, feel free to PM me.

Thank you! I do have plans where to take it but I'll PM for further questions I might have. I do see this supplement going up to at least 1975 atm unless something in BSIC happens that might change it.

Looking forward to see what happens next in BSiC

 

[QTXAdsy]

Chapter 4: Samurai Scotsman: The 1972 Japan Tour

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When one was to take a minute about the UK and Japan, they would be surprised to see that the two nations, despite being on different sides of the World, had a number of things in common. They are both similar sized island nations sitting on the same equatorial line, have a stereotype and even offensive view of bad teeth and a love of tea, have a royal family, once had great empires and navies but last and certainly not least, have a special railway connection. The British may have claim to being the cradle of the modern railway, but it was the Japanese who had gained the worldwide attention of their now famous Shinkansen bullet trains but it was thanks to the British that the railways came to Japan and 1972 would be the year in which Flying Scotsman would head out on an epic tour of Australia and Japan as part of an extension to the North America Goodwill tour.

Not surprisingly, many rail enthusiasts bemoaned that Flying Scotsman was to be out of the country yet again and that she hadn't been back in Britain for a whole year before she was to go again. Even some members of the public questioned too when Randolph stated that the Government would back this next tour and wonder how much of tax payer's money was being spent on this. It didn't help that at the start of the year the country was gripped by rising unemployment, never ending strikes and high inflation that some in the Conservative party wonder if this massive undertaking of a tour was worth it. Nonetheless many big businesses all wanted to be part of the next tour as they had all reported good business in North America and with Japan as looking to be an up and coming country as well as the Asian market looking to be one of untouched potential, the excitement was already building up even before the full train had been loaded on a ship to Japan.

With all that was going in the UK that year, many asked why they should go to Japan for that year, but going in 1972 had two very good reasons behind them. September 1972 would mark the 100th anniversary of the very first railway to open in Japan in 1872 between Shinbashi and Yokohama, with some thanks to British engineers at that time. Also 1972 would mark the 70th anniversary of the old Anglo/Japanese treaty first signed in 1902 and with all this in mind, what better way to celebrate all this than to not only have Flying Scotsman mark Japan's rail anniversary but also help boost relations between Japan and Great Britain with trade. It looked set to be a PR goldmine for all concerned and for Scotsman's owner, Alan Peglar, this tour was going to be the most epic adventure that any steam locomotive had ever undertaking.

After a few 'farewell' charter trips in early that year, Flying Scotsman, along with it's second tender, support coach and observation car, the latter too both used on the North American tour and bought by Peglar after the tour, left Liverpool dock in June to start a two month long voyage to the land of the rising sun. The five exhibition cars that were to hold the goods on board had left a few days earlier on another shipment where they were to unloaded at Tokyo and where they would meet up with the other half of the train when Scotsman arrived.

One thing that many noted was unlike the North American tour in which the coaches had all been painted in stunning Pullman colours of chocolate and cream which suited them well, here they look very different by being painted in British Rail's standard BR blue liverly for the coaches which might've given them a 'modern' look but looked pretty bland in comparison. The Observation car, which was still fitted out as an English pub and housed some of drinks to be promoted on the tour, was also painted in this look which angered many rail enthusiasts by how ugly it looked, though one improvement was that the second tender was always painted in this livery as many had said the second green tender with the number 4472 on it ruined the locomotive's lines, so it was painted in to blend in better with the train and that meant the number could return to the locomotive's cab side as it should be.

The second tender having just been repainted, with the support coach to the right also been repainted, just before heading to Liverpool docks in 1972.
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The long sea voyage for the locomotive would see it make it's way round the Cape of Good Hope before briefly stopping in Hong Kong for unloading of other loads of cargo on board and refuelling, however it was here that while chained to the deck that Flying Scotsman was fitted with features that needed to operate in Japan. Though she was finally free from some of the cumbersome features she needed for her North American tour such as the large whistle, bell and pilot, she would be here fitted with buckeye coupling system used in Japan, air brakes as there wasn't any vacuum brake fitted locomotive in Japan (the rest of the stock all got fitted with said equipment) and this was something ground-breaking being fitted with this as it wouldn't be a few decades later in which all British mainline steam locomotives would have to use these brakes and so Flying Scotsman would be the first to do so.

However it would inside the cab that she'd be fitted with a device that was unlike anything seen on British rails, cab signalling. Due to the high speeds that bullet trains went at there was no chance to spot a signal so instead cab signalling was needed and Scotsman would need to be fitted with one as such and the irony was that as no locomotive in the UK had this and despite her age of 49, she was technically the most advantage British locomotive at that moment. It was unclear if to laugh or cry at this fact. The long voyage finally came to an end when at the end of July, Flying Scotsman and the rest of the stock on that ship were unloaded at Tokyo docks where she met up with the rest of the coaches that had arrived on the early voyage and while it wasn't announced publicly that she had arrived, word quickly spread that a famous British locomotive had arrived on Japanese shores.

There was one unfortune thing that Peglar couldn't do that he had been allowed to do in the States, he couldn't drive his own locomotive in Japan. As anyone would know, the Japanese kept to a strict timetable and Flying Scotsman would have to have an experience crew who knew what they were doing and the British crew that had been chosen, paid by Peglar personally from British Rail, and had been given instructions of what was needed and what rules had to be followed. Once the train had been set up, Flying Scotsman was dragged 'dead' engine to Tokyo station in the dead of night and the promoters had a cunning plan for the public. The only way to see the engine and train was to enter through the station as it had been cocooned so that no one could see it from the outside, this worked a treat as on the very first day, 130,000 people visited the train and the costs that people were willing to pay to see the train pretty much covered the shipping costs there and then. It was all looking to hit even before Scotsman had turned a wheel.

The 2nd of August would mark the start of the tour in which the crew and exhibitors were greeted by the British ambassador to Japan and wished them well. Then in front of the Japanese press, Peglar proved himself as a great speaker, with help from a translator, as he hoped to help create closer ties for the two countries and that in this anniversary year that trade will blossom. With the help of an electric locomotive on the back to assist her throughout the journey, Scotsman made her way out of Tokyo and headed eastwards to Osaka where throughout the journey she would make many stops at cities across the route, though this was also to allow the Bullet trains to 'leapfrog' her while she was stabled in a siding. Perhaps what really sunk in for most that Flying Scotsman was here in Japan was the three cylinder beat that only an A3 could make as the sound could be heard around the Tokyo suburbs, something so out of place and pretty showing how far away from she was.

Route of the tour marked in Orange
​

All along the route, many thousands stood by the lineside as they wanted to see a steam locomotive operate on what was normally high speed metals reserved for the bullet trains and because of the high speed needed to operate, Flying Scotsman had to keep going at high speeds on average of 80mph, though on once occasion she managed to make a record of 100mph which was quite amazing to think about considering her age and that this was the first time a steam locomotive, never mind a foreign one from the other side of the world, doing all of this. That all said, with nothing to help steam locomotives with no water facilities, the second tender proved it's worth by helping Scotty travel the many hundreds of miles across Japan and she proved to work utterly flawlessly and proved to be a wonderful ambassador for her country.

The one regret though was that Scotsman couldn't work alongside some of Japan's preserved steam locomotives due to one problem...the wrong gauge. While Japan's main network might be the worldwide accepted standard gauge, the original gauge for Japan was that of a slightly narrower gauge and the standard gauge that could be used out in Japan was track that was for the bullet trains. Ideally had the narrow gauge track been standard gauge, Peglar would've loved to have his locomotive to work alongside the Japanese locomotives which would've been a much more relaxed affair on those lines that being forced to sprint at high speeds on the main line even with an electric locomotive helping from the back. This also led many Japanese rail fans left frustrated as there were many who all would've loved to travel behind Flying Scotsman but there just wasn't the time or place for it so the best they could do was watch the locomotive flying past at high speed.

Nonetheless, Flying Scotsman's month long goodwill tour of Japan was a massive hit and very quickly, the fame the locomotive got over in Japan was crazy to say the least. It can be speculated that the British team out in Japan were among one of, if not the first, British people to come across anime and compared to some of the homely and humble animated shows that came about of the UK plus some of the Disney cartoons from the States, some of the content they witness did make them rub their eyes in disbelieve and in particular as a thanks to help promote future Anglo/Japanese co-productions, one such Japanese company even made a special Flying Scotsman 'pilot' anime episode which was something that neither would forget. It didn't go down well and the copy was wiped though according to Bruce Berry, the fireman for Scotsman on the tour, would describe it years later as something of a Thomas the Tank Engine on a very bad trip and wonder what on earth the Japanese thought this was fine. Make what you want of that...

(Left) From left to right, Peglar, a front of house guide girl and bagpiper posing for shots in Nagoya, 1972 (Right) location in which Scotty passed with Mount Fuji in the background
​

On the half way point of the tour, Flying Scotsman would come across Mount Fuji while she travelled to Osaka and this was the point where some of the most iconic photos were taken with Flying Scotsman, with white steam on her back and Mount Fuji in the background creating an famous image that was front page news for people in the UK showing how well things were going, though perhaps the tour might've been mask for all the troubles taking place at home despite the claims that the tour was there to help British businesses. A real coup happen when the Japanese space agency, NASDA, agreed to help Britain's answer to theirs, UKSA, for more joint space flights which would not only help reduce costs for either nation's space faring hopes and even proved to both nations that despite being on either side of the world, the Japanese and British held a similar culture of ideals and some would argue that Flying Scotsman's tour of Japan, if it actually was true, helped citizens from either nation to visit to prove that they were not all so different. Who knew that a steam locomotive could do such a thing? Then again this was the world famous Flying Scotsman after all.

Despite the scepticism and the fears that a vintage steam locomotive could never have a place on the Japanese mainline, Flying Scotsman managed to defy the odds and reach Osaka, the final city on the tour, in which like many places before, public interest was massive. It had been a huge achievement and some who had been part of the North American tour had to wonder if this topped that tour but given how well received they had got wherever they'd gone in Japan it had been nothing short of amazing and it was unlikely such a feat would be ever repeated with all the red taped involved that had to bypass in order to get this tour underway. While at Osaka, this might've been the end of the locomotive's time in Japan, but the tour was only halfway done as soon after, the full train was taking to the docks for loading onto a cargo ship.

Flying Scotsman, and it's train of precious British cargo was making another sea voyage to Australia which wouldn't be as long thankfully as the trip from the UK to Japan. Unlike in Japan however, Flying Scotsman would be working alongside many Australian locomotives and with such tight restrictions as in Japan, Peglar would be finally able to drive his locomotive down under. But all of that would be for another tale...

Flying Scotsman being loaded on board a ship at Osaka, September 1972

Next Time: Aussie Scotsman, Australia Leg 1972

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Here we are, Flying Scotsman does Japan and now it's onto Australia, only much earlier ITTL! Anyway, hope you enjoyed this update and the next part will be up whenever I have the time and I will be keeping an eye on BSiC on what might happen for a potential 1975 tour of Europe though I'll have to wait until @President_Lincoln gets on with that update so I can get an idea of what might happen there with Maggie in power much earlier. Until then, hope you enjoyed it and see you soon!

​

 

[MKD]

As an aside can we :

• Not knacker it
• Get it back from foreign lands without any trouble
• Not bankrupt every owner
• Rebuild sensibly when required
• Retire to England when the time comes

 

[GeorgeUK]

I just hope that Miyazaki liked the locomotive itself to work it into a future film...

 

[QTXAdsy]

As an aside can we :

• Not knacker it
• Get it back from foreign lands without any trouble
• Not bankrupt every owner
• Rebuild sensibly when required
• Retire to England when the time comes

Don't worry, the Goverment and the many big businesses involved are all helping to pay for the trip (as what happened with OTL's 1969 tour) and Peglar as before doesn't go bankrupt and is still the owner for now. I plan to detail an epilogue when I complete this TL that'll explain more how different Scotty's life becomes.

I just hope that Miyazaki liked the locomotive itself to work it into a future film...

Oh, he would have been one of the many who was keen to see Scotty while out in Japan! Don't be surprised to she her in a Miyazaki piece later on...

 

[MKD]

Don't worry, the Goverment and the many big businesses involved are all helping to pay for the trip (as what happened with OTL's 1969 tour) and Peglar as before doesn't go bankrupt and is still the owner for now. I plan to detail an epilogue when I complete this TL that'll explain more how different Scotty's life becomes.

as long as it ends up at the National Railway Museum we will be fine ;-)

 

[QTXAdsy]

Chapter 4: The Scotsman Down Under: The 1972 Australian Tour

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As the crowd of excited rail fans, curious members of the press, worried support staff and dockers watched as Flying Scotsman was being lifted from the deck of the ship by the large floating crane at Melbourne docks, Alan Peglar was a worried man. While on paper the tour had been making money hand over fist, the Japan leg of the tour had left a big dent in his pockets as the cost of operating a vintage steam locomotive over Shinkansen tracks had cost a lot more than anyone expected and it was unlikely that any steam locomotive, let alone his own, would be operating over Japanese rails again. While seeing the sight of 60 tons of British rail history hanging in the air would've been a scary sight for anyone, that wasn't Peglar's main worry as it was the news he had heard back in the UK just after he landed in Australia.

Times were getting tough in the UK with the strikes, inflation and horrendous situation in Northern Ireland having made the UK Government trying to find ways to cut costs and sadly for Peglar and everyone involved with the tour, a sway of cuts were being made for this tour of Australia. Many were being sent home such as the show girls that had been part of Scotsman's international adventures since 1969 and while in hindsight Peglar would look back on them as being more trouble than they were to employ them and to cover their accommodation, they did bring a touch a glamour to the tour and they would be missed even if they were in truth playing second fiddle to Scotsman herself!

To make matters worse, several businesses were getting cold feet on it as while most were happy to report new trade deals with various Japanese companies, the promise of them all rolling in bags of money proved though to be something of hopeless naivety as the return costs weren't that they had hoped for and out of disappointment, many didn't think they'd have much success in Australia so some decided to pull out with this leg of the tour. While several lesser known British businesses happily took those vacant spaces, it was not what Peglar and the team were wanting in the build up just before the start of the tour and with the fact that the UK Government was making cuts to the tour, Peglar did think that if things carried on like this, he could find himself in the red and worse, bankrupt.

"You alright, mate?" called out an Aussie voice and Peglar took his glance of Scotsman and onto the gentleman who had called on him. It was the Australian promoter of the tour, Jordon Jones. He was quite a flamboyant character in similar age to Peglar and who in some sense was one of those guys who could say to have more money than sense with the fact that despite the costs of shipping this locomotive and train from Japan to Australia never seemed to bother Jones as he had been wanting to see the World's Most Famous Steam Locomotive in Australia since he first heard about the engine's North American adventures and after much difficultly had finally succeeded here.

"Good day to you too old chap," Peglar greeted and shook his hand.

"Quite a sight to see her in Australia at last," Jones beamed as he watched Scotsman being gently lowered onto the rails by the dockside as a team of dock workers carefully guided her down. "Must say, you're a lucky guy having something like to own."

"More like having a gorgeous blonde I say," Peglar remarked in which Jones gave him a confused stare. "You can say how clever you've been, by my goodness me when you take in the costs of running her, maintenance and a crew it can be a jolly expensive business."

"Sounds like the wife!" Jones joked. "But all seriousness, you do look out of sorts, something wrong?"

Peglar nodded. "I'm afraid so old boy. I believe you've heard about these cuts?"

Jones nodded.

"That's not the worst of it, it turns out that I'm now having to pay for her upkeep now rather than having outside help me. Quite a worrying situation if we don't break even on this tour."

The Australian promoter then gave Peglar a serious look. "Actually, just a word between you and me...is it true that some businesses have pulled out?"

Peglar was stunned that Jones hadn't heard of this and would've assumed he had been told otherwise, clearly though someone had not been doing their job properly or was keeping 'hush-hush' over it, he had no idea how to break this to Jones. "Well...I don't you to take this the wrong way but...some have indeed done that."

The cigar that Jones had been holding fell out of his grasp in shock when he heard about this. "The hell? I thought they said they did good business in Japan, what happened?"

"Technically it was a success," Peglar explained. "The plan of the tour was for all those businesses to find new partners in Japan in which all did just that. However, with all this talk of Japan being this big new super power, a lot of them thought they were all suddenly become billionaires from it and when they didn't get quite the money they were hoping for, I'm afraid to say many pull out in anger and didn't want to get involved in the Australian tour."

"But why?"

"Don't take this the wrong way but...they don't think they'll be much to get out of Australia and I suspect they only cared about going to Japan and even if they did get what they wanted out there, Australia was an afterthought, no disrespect.."

Jones snorted in anger. "The bastards!"

"At least we did find some smaller businesses to take their places," Peglar assured him. "I only hope we can make this a good tour."

The two men didn't say anything as they watched Scotsman finally touch down on Australian rails and the dockers were unfasten the cables of the locomotive as they prepared to collect the two tenders off the floating crane's deck. Jones then spoke again. "Have you thought about making excursion trains out here?"

"It would be nice," Peglar replied thoughtfully. Personally he would've loved to have taken passenger trains with his engine in North American and Japan had it not been for laws preventing him otherwise and thus he would've have needed to go on a large Goodwill worldwide tour.

"I think I can help you there," Jones added in which Peglar looked back at him with a curious look. "We do have a big railway preservation scene here in Australia and we don't have any restrictions to prevent foreign engines to run charter trains here. If you need money, will you be happy for an extended stay down under?"

Peglar and Jones would start planning right away...

Artist's impression of Scotsman being unloaded at Melbourne 1972

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As Peglar peered his head out of the driver's side of the cab and waved to the many by the lineside as they rushed by, he did find it rather amusing that here on the other side of the world that this locomotive's fame was just as big and it made him think that it wasn't really a big world after all. However the good thing about being in Australia was unlike in Japan but like in North American, he could finally drive his locomotive out in Australia and on that first run in Australia from Melbourne to Canberra, he was having the time of his life enjoying the Australian scenery and sunshine.

Along with an Aussie and British crew helping him, Peglar's daughter Penny joined him up on the footplate and the two of them waved to the many by the lineside and took in the new country they were in, a truly great father/daughter bonding experience no less. Throughout October, the tour would travel to other places such as Sydney, Brisbane, Broken Hill, Adelaide and Perth just to name a few and there was always a big crowd wherever they went, however it was out here that the British crew were surprised to see a lot of 'duel gauge' track which most had largely been completed a few years ago which not only allowed for the country to have a mostly unified rail gauge, but also allowed for Flying Scotsman to travel to places they might've not been possible previously by standard gauge locomotives.

There still places that Scotsman couldn't go to yet such as Alice Springs due that line still being narrow gauge and it wouldn't be a few years later until most of Australia would have duel gauge all over the country. Nonetheless without the tight timetable Scotsman had to perform in Japan, it was a lot more relaxed Down Under where they didn't have to thrash the locomotive to speed her though they weren't far away from most problems as out on the journey between Kalgoorlie and Melbourne, Scotsman suffered a cylinder casing breaking which many blamed that was the cause of high speed running in Japan that ultimately leading to this incident and the stricken locomotive was towed back to Melbourne for repairs. But that wasn't the worst of it. By now Peglar was having to fund the repairs to his engine from his own pocket and it suddenly became clear that the money they were making was not just going for the businesses, but even some of the sponsors who wanted to use the money for their own benefit all much to the great disapproval of Peglar.

At the end of October, the tour had come to an end and the tour had broke even, though it wasn't a runaway success that some hoped for with blame being put on several big businesses pulling out and repairs that to take place and while there were many generous Aussie rail fans who helped in many ways they could, the money was slowly starting to look bleak and it did seem just about right the tour ended as it did with all the coaches leaving back on a shipment to the UK with Scotsman still in Australia which many feared that Peglar was bankrupt and that Scotsman could be stranded in Australia. Little did they know that throughout the next two months, a plan was in place for a 'get rich slow scheme'.

During the final two months of 1972, Flying Scotsman would operate passenger trains in Australia and Jordon Jones had managed to pull a few strings to get the plan working and much to his and Peglar's delight, not only were all the trips sold out as soon as it was announced Flying Scotsman would be working trains, but extra trains were to be added including a high ticket 'New Year Farewell' trip on the 31st December, to which Scotsman would leave for the UK shortly after, and this all helped in putting Peglar back into the black and the future looking more secure.

Scotsman on one such charter train in November 1972
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Peglar would note that this would be one of the greatest moments he had with Scotsman as his dream of driving his locomotive in another country with a passenger train in tow had become a reality and with all the money flowing back to him, how could he not enjoy the moment with everyone looking so well after the shaky start when they landed in Australia? He would hear of the good news that those businesses who had been on this tour reported good trade and those who had walked away would've no doubt been kicking themselves for missing out, karma by chance?

In total, the 1972 tour of Australia and Japan would clock up about 20,000 miles with the lion's share of the mileage coming from the Australian leg due to the charter trains Scotsman was put on and all in all had been a true epic voyage to the other side of the world and that had promoted British relations between Australia and Japan and Flying Scotsman would become first locomotive to visit three different continents and some thought that maybe tours of North Africa and South America might be possible, but that was really all pie in the sky stuff and many UK rail fans wanted to see her home.

Just before her 50th birthday in February of 1973, Scotsman would return to the UK as a engine that had took on the World and won and a series of 'welcome home' events took place with Scotsman visiting many parts of the UK and to the great relief of enthusiasts, there were no more talks of international adventures as Peglar would focus on taking his engine round the rail network. However her adventures weren't quite over yet as right over the English channel, there was one more continent to visit...

Scotsman arriving at Tilbury Docks, London, February 1973

Next Time: Continental Scotsman: The European Tour, 1975

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Scotsman now really is the most famous locomotive much more ITTL! So yeah Scotsman goes to Australia much earlier than OTL and that's about that. Next update will be a trip to Europe, the final tour ITTL, in which will be up once we found out what happens next in BSiC so in the meantime, bring forth suggestions of where'd you think Scotsman should visit. Maybe just Western European or, dare I say, a trip behind the Iron Curtain to visit East Germany and Poland? Anyway hope you enjoyed this update and we are near the end of this supplant TL, until then, catch you later!

 

[GeorgeUK]

Depends what East-West relations are like.