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Thames & Hudson is partnering with the National Railway Museum to publish a book celebrating the centenary of the Flying Scotsman, written by Michael Morpurgo and illustrated by Michael Foreman.
Thames & Hudson holds worldwide rights to Flying Scotsman and the Best Birthday Ever and publishes the book in association with the National Railway Museum. Text rights were acquired by Roger Thorp, editorial director, from Veronique Baxter at David Higham, and illustrations rights directly from the author. It will publish in October 2022, supported by an extensive nationwide promotional campaign.
Flying Scotsman and the Best Birthday Ever follows the adventures of the train’s greatest fan, a little girl named Iris, who dreams of driving it herself. It takes readers on a journey through the golden age of steam travel while paying tribute to the women who kept the railways running during the Second World War.
Morpurgo said: “I grew up on steam-trains, remember the sound of them, the smell of them, the rhythm of them. I went on holidays on them, went to school on them. So when Michael Foreman asked me to write a story about the greatest, most iconic steam-train of them all, Flying Scotsman, I sat down at once and just did it. Easy easy. All the memories came flooding back. I loved writing my story, but now all I want to do is fulfil a lifelong dream, to get up on the footplate of Flying Scotsman and drive it, and be at last the engine driver I wanted to be. With me up there driving, we would be in Edinburgh faster than you could say, Flying Scotsman.”
Foreman added: “When asked to produce a book to celebrate the 100th birthday of Flying Scotsman, I was both delighted and excited. My mind was instantly full of old steam train memories – of school trips to London and weekly trips to football with my mates. I knew Michael Morpurgo would have many memories of his own. I phoned him ... ‘Yes! I’ve always wanted to do a story about a train!’. He steamed ahead and his story arrived at express speed. He makes the 100-year story relevant and moving for children of today. As always, it was a pleasure to join him on this journey.”
Judith McNicol, director of the National Railway Museum, commented: “Flying Scotsman is one of the world’s most recognisable steam locomotives and the famous engine still draws excited crowds wherever it goes. As we begin to celebrate the engine’s centenary in 2023, this book is a charming and beautifully written companion to the key moments of Flying Scotsman’s history, and something we are proud to be a part of.”