FOR many railway enthusiasts, Flying Scotsman's visit to the country's most popular heritage line was a dream come true.

For others, such as Gerry Skelton, a former driver of the legendary locomotive, its week of services along the 18-mile North Yorkshire Moors Railway, was a chance to revisit history.

Several thousand people, whose imagination had been captured by the record-breaking engine, gathered at the line's southern terminus in Pickering to catch a glimpse of the class A3 locomotive in its fresh green livery following its ten-year £4.2m overhaul.

Crowds cheered and bagpipers John Atkinson-Millmoor and Doug Ratcliffe, of Bishop Auckland, played as Flying Scotsman's engine roared as it set off on its first trip from Grosmont on Saturday.

Mr Atkinson-Millmoor said: "It was absolutely amazing, the amount of noise. Even if there had been a full band here they would have been drowned out by the sound of the engine.

"It's a piece of art and an absolutely phenomenal piece of engineering and so it's fantastic to have been here today."

There were also incredible scenes of crowds along the line through the national park and at the village stations of Goathland and Levisham as 80-year-old former North East Railways driver Mr Skelton, of Pickering, returned to the footplate of the locomotive after half a century.

The line's footplate superintendent Steve Conway said driving the engine had been an honour for the elite team of drivers selected, while some of the 2,300 passengers who bought £38 tickets to ride in the eight carriages behind Flying Scotsman this weekend said the experience was thrilling.

Locomotive enthusiast Connor Knight, of Scarborough, said he was impressed by the rate of acceleration that Scotsman achieved as it left Pickering. He added: "It shouldn't be a surprise as it's a 16 plate."

Others said they were taken aback by the 1923 engine's size, beauty and prowess.

Railway volunteer Chris Mason said: "It has been a privilege to ride on the locomotive. It is so smooth, much smoother than the other locomotives we have on the line."

Paul Brown, the line's commercial operations manager, said extensive planning for the visit and the work of 400-odd volunteers had paid dividends, with the event passing without any hitches, barring slight delays to some services.

He said: "It has been one of our best weekends ever. People made a day of it, they didn't have to travel on board to enjoy the experience."