An all-female crew took the helm of one of the world’s most famous steam trains to mark International Women’s Day.
The Flying Scotsman was driven by an all-women crew yesterday (March 8) on the East Lancashire Railway to mark the occasion.
The ground-breaking crew was made up of three volunteers from East Lancashire Railway, Linda Henderson, Charlotte Instance and Steph Elwood along with Beth Furness from Network Rail who will be driving Flying Scotsman.
Linda began volunteering at ELR in 1993 at just 14-years-old along with her mum and younger brother. Throughout the years she has taken on many different roles at the railway including dispatcher, signal operations manager and in March 2017, Linda became the ELR’s first ever female main line locomotive driver.
Steph joined the ELR team in October 2021 with a background in maintenance and repair, eager to push herself further and build on her self-confidence. She was soon put on a fast-track course and passed her firing exam in September 2022, becoming the second-ever female fireman at ELR.
Beth’s love for trains started at her local railway when she was 16 years old and she has worked in a number of roles including operations, fitting, signalling and working as a fireman.
Charlotte came to the ELR in the summer of 2021 and helped to get the station shop up and running. She quickly began following in her great grandfather's footsteps when she joined the steam crew as a cleaner and had the privilege of prepping and cleaning Flying Scotsman during one of its visits to the ELR; she has since worked her way up to the coveted position of locomotive driver.
She has previously worked for the National Railway Museum and now works for Network Rail.
The train made three trips between Rawtenstall and Bury during the day, with the third trip welcoming members of National Railway Museum, Network Rail and other rail workers on board.
In celebration of its centenary, the world's most famous steam locomotive will be leaving its home at the National Railway Museum in York and touring through railways across the UK. It will stop off at ELR for a special event celebrating the past, present and future of women in rail.
The Flying Scotsman will be open to the public to ride behind through the beautiful Irwell Valley and to indulge in a luxury dining experience from March 11 to March 19.
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