On September 1776 Doncaster found speed. The St. Ledger race was born. The power behind this speed was purely horse derived and to this day the race marks the pinnacle of achievement for racehorses. It is no surprise then, that on the 30th November 1934 it was a Doncaster born thoroughbred, locomotive 4472 that earned the land speed record for a railed vehicle travelling on the East Coast Main Line at 100mph. The engine bore the name, ‘The Flying Scotsman’ after the train it pulled on the 392 mile non-stop route between Edinburgh and London.
This A3 Pacific Class engine was the brainchild of Sir Nigel Gresley, the Scottish born Chief Mechanical Engineer of London North East Railway and was build at their Doncaster Plant Works. His ideas were progressive and his designs elegant, both aesthetically and mechanically. He ensured that Britain led the way in steam locomotive development in design, comfort and speed.
Built in the style of a ‘Scottish Heavy’, Great Scott is a traditional bitter, that celebrates our Doncaster heritage and more importantly speedily quenches the thirst on both sides of the border.