The Flying Scotsman returns

The world’s most famous locomotive, the Flying Scotsman, is back on track in its iconic British Rail green livery thanks to the products and colour library of authentic historic shades of Craftmaster Paints of Cambridge, UK.

The final phase of the £4.2M project was completed in February by Heritage Painting, using Craftmaster Coach Enamel, a premier high pigment paint, in the iconic British Rail green. The product is manufactured by HMG Paints, the UK’s largest independent paint manufacturer, whose experienced colour matchers perfectly recreated the iconic colour.

Thousands of train enthusiasts lined tracks and bridges across the country to catch a glimpse of the Flying Scotsman in its restored iconic livery, as the legend made its inaugural run from London to York, where the next chapter in the Flying Scotsman story will see it become a working museum exhibit.

The locomotive’s paint system, from primer and high build undercoat to classic coach enamel, results from a highly developed and close technical partnership between Craftmaster and HMG Paints that dates back nearly two decades. HMG manufactures exclusive formulations to Craftmaster’s specifications, using pigments and components of the highest quality.

Adam Brown, General Manager of Craftmaster Paints said, "I’m thrilled that we’ve played a small part in the restoration of this prestigious locomotive and hope this is the beginning of a long association between Craftmaster and the Flying Scotsman.”

With unparalleled pigment content, Craftmaster Coach Enamel, ensures the Flying Scotsman will maintain its smooth mirror finish as it embarks on its new journey as a working museum exhibit. Underneath the green is Craftmaster’s High Build Undercoat, which offers (as the name implies) a high build paint to build film thickness for the Coach Enamel, vital to ensure the depth of colour and shine consistent with a top quality finish.