THE iconic locomotive, Flying Scotsman, will be back in steam to celebrate the reopening of the Settle to Carlisle railway, partly closed after year-long repairs.

It will be one of the first trains to make the full journey following a huge landslide in the winter of 2015-16 which resulted in closure of the line at Eden Brows.

The train will complete a return trip from Oxenhope on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway on Friday, March 3, the same day Arriva Northern’s regular diesel passenger service will make a return to normal service.

The last train passed through to Carlisle in February last year. Since then, there has been a replacement bus service operating at the northern end of the line.

When the line was constructed in the 1870s the Midland Railway surveyors had a difficult task in deciding the best route through the Eden gorge.

Shortly after construction began, a five acre landslip started and was only stopped by covering the hillside with vertical shafts filled with rubble.

Almost 150 years later, their modern counterparts at Network Rail constructed a massive concrete and steel tunnel-like structure that sits beneath the railway, 70 metres above the river Eden. This provides a stable base across the damaged and unstable ground.

The multi-million pound project has taken over a year to complete and will safeguard the railway for generations to come. It has ensured that if the land gives way again, the railway will most certainly not.

Sir Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said:“Travelling through some of Yorkshire’s most stunning scenery, the Settle to Carlisle line is one of the county’s most iconic railways so I am delighted to see it reopening.

"Credit must go to the engineers who have worked tirelessly to repair the line following last year’s devastating landslip.

"If you haven’t already, I’d encourage everyone to book their tickets and experience the railway for themselves – you won’t be disappointed.”

Northern’s £15 Day Ranger ticket will remain available until the Saturday May 20. Passengers can find timetable information at www.settle-carlisle.co.uk.