All aboard for a second trip into the fascinating life of the Flying Scotsman. Channel 4’s Secrets of Flying Scotsman steams ahead with Episode 2 this Saturday, 7 June at 8:30 PM, pulling into a new era—one where the iconic train faces a world without regular rail travel and an uncertain future.
The episode focuses on the Scotsman’s second act as a heritage attraction. The narrative tracks the train’s rescue from the scrap heap by businessman Alan Pegler, who dreamed of spotlighting the engine’s power and beauty on a daring 1969 American tour. Pegler’s ambition, though, ultimately came at a steep price, leading to bankruptcy and stranding the Scotsman across the Atlantic.
The series, which tracks the rise, fall, and eventual resurgence of one of Britain’s greatest engineering feats, continues its focus on how innovation and obsession can collide. The Flying Scotsman, after all, was the first steam train to officially hit 100 mph—a feat that captured the public imagination, but also set the stage for its eventual decline.
“Secrets of Flying Scotsman” airs this Saturday at 8:30 PM on Channel 4.
