THE daughter of the man who saved a world-famous steam locomotive from the scrapyard will wave it off from the platform when it comes to Dorset.

As reported in the Echo, the Flying Scotsman, the iconic A3 class locomotive, is coming to the Swanage Railway this spring.

It has now been revealed that Penny Vaudoyer will be special guest when the loco it hauls its first train at the start of its three-week visit to Purbeck.

It was Penny’s enterprising and charismatic father, the late Alan Pegler, who purchased Flying Scotsman from British Railways for the scrap value of £3,000 in 1963.

And it was thanks to his drive and determination that between 1969 and 1972 the loco went on a tour of America between 1969 and 1972 to promote British exports, hauling a Devon Belle Pullman observation carriage Car 14. This same carriage will also be at Swanage.

Penny Vaudoyer, who now lives in Portugal, said: “It will be a very moving moment for me to see the Flying Scotsman and its Pullman observation carriage again because I have so many wonderful memories. That’s why I am so happy to be coming to Swanage to send off the first train of the day – quite an honour.

"Flying Scotsman – or ‘Scotty’ as we called her – was part of the family and as for the Pullman observation carriage Car 14, I have just so many memories. I crossed the Rocky Mountains with Flying Scotsman as a teenager and spent many hours watching the magnificent scenery from that end carriage."

She added: “My father was a kind and generous man who had time for everyone from all walks of life – a real gentleman who was accessible and friendly to everyone.

“He lived his passion and his dream to the hilt and, despite the risks and losses and the rollercoaster ride of business life with Flying Scotsman, he was always cheerful and never complained."

The famous loco, built in 1923 by the London and North Eastern Railway and named after the express train from Kings Cross to Edinburgh, came back to Britain from America in 1973.

It was bought by the National Railway Museum in York in 2004 and restored thanks to a £4.2 million, ten-year project funded by the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund as well as from public donations.

The Pullman observation carriage Car 14, which was later used as a boardroom in San Francisco, was rescued by Swanage Railway volunteers in 2007.

Swanage Railway Company business division director Mick Gould said: “Everyone is delighted, and honoured, that the daughter of the man who saved No. 60103 ‘Flying Scotsman’ from the scrapyard in the 1960s is to wave off the iconic steam locomotive’s first train from Swanage.

“We look forward to welcoming Penny Vaudoyer to the Swanage Railway and sharing her wonderful memories."

Penny Vaudoyer will wave off the train from Swanage station with the guard's green flag at 10.05am on Friday, March 22.

Flying Scotsman will be on the Swanage Railway for 20 days from Friday, March 22 to Wednesday, April 10.

The first five days will see it haul trains between Swanage, Corfe Castle and Norden with Devon Belle Pullman observation carriage Car 14.

From Wednesday, March 27, to Wednesday, April 10, the iconic steam locomotive and the Car 14 will be on static display at Corfe Castle station with ticket-only access.

Swanage Railway Company chairman Trevor Parsons explained: "With uniformed attendants serving champagne and canapés to passengers on board the Devon Belle Pullman observation carriage, Car 14 will be coupled directly behind 'Flying Scotsman' when it hauls trains on the Swanage Railway.

"That will give Pullman passengers a rare chance to enjoy the delights of travelling in style behind the world's most famous steam locomotive as it travels through the beautiful Purbeck countryside."

See swanagerailway.co.uk for more details.