LARGE crowds turned out in the spring sunshine to see Flying Scotsman arrive in Pickering today, Friday, March 11.

The arrival of the legendary steam locomotive marks the beginning of a seven-day "residency" on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, where it will travel between Pickering and Grosmont. All tickets are sold out for the journeys.

The engine, in iconic BR green, billowed into the station at midday in front of hundreds of onlookers.

Frank Barrington, who has tickets for today's trip, said: "We've been waiting a long while for it to come back, and now it's here we're taking the chance to have a ride behind it. It's an impressive sight. And it's 90 years old."

Michael Monaghan, a spectator on the platform, said: "We've been staying in Whitby, and following the progress of what's happening. We couldn't get a B&B in Whitby because I think everybody's coming here.

"We followed a police car all the way from Grosmont - we thought, 'that's where it's heading.’

"It's a fantastic sight. We come from Doncaster where it was originally built, so we're really chuffed .”

Paul and Diana James, from Pickering, had just come along out of curiosity. "She's an impressive lady," said Mr James, who has been a member of NYMR for six years. "And she's here all week."

Mr James added that he had seen some people come to touch the engine. "It means a lot to a lot of people."

"It's a historic machine anyway, and there was a little lad in the cab. The look on his face. He'll tell his grandchildren about it - 'I've been on the footplate of Flying Scotsman.'"

Fans will get the chance to see the locomotive running on the heritage railway for the first time following its 10 year, £4.2m refurbishment by the National Railway Museum.

Flying Scotsman returned to the East Coast Main Line last month with an inaugural journey from London King’s Cross to York, greeted by thousands of people lining the route.

However, the day was marred by several dangerous incidents of trespass – where spectators were seen walking along the tracks and taking photographs of Flying Scotsman as trains passed on opposing lines.

Emrys Warriner, of Network Rail, said the photographs of people stood on the tracks were “deeply worrying”

She added: “I cannot stress enough how dangerous it is to go onto the railway without permission, as well as being illegal.”

BTP Inspector Bob Moody said: “The behaviour of some people during Flying Scotsman’s inaugural journey from London to York was simply not acceptable.”

He added that rail trespassers could be brought before the courts and fined up to £1,000.