IT WAS a magnificent sight on the York-Scarborough railway line during the summer months.

But as legendary rail icon Flying Scotsman completes its biggest season of summer steam trips, rail chiefs have revealed it will not be back on the tracks for another 20 months.

The National Railway Museum has confirmed the locomotive will go into workshops in January next year - for an overhaul which will not be completed until August 2007.

This year, more than 22,000 people bought tickets for the National Railway Museum's Ride The Legend service between York and Scarborough, and thousands more turned out to watch the world's most famous steam locomotive in action.

While steam enthusiasts are bound to be disappointed, the Leeman Road-based museum said visitors would have the chance to see Scotsman "up close and personal" during the refit work.

An NRM spokeswoman said a major overhaul of the engine was required every seven years - effectively an MOT for the iconic engine.

"Engines that run on the main line have to run through what you could call an engine MOT," she said. "Overhauls normally take two years and we are going to complete it in just under that.

"We will have a viewing balcony in the museum so people can see the engine and it should be quite a thing to view. Flying Scotsman won't be shut away while it's in the workshops."

Andrew Scott, head of the National Railway Museum, talking about this year's excursions, said: "Despite some early technical problems, the locomotive successfully completed another season of seaside specials giving thousands of people the chance to experience this national treasure first-hand, whether that was on board the train or from vantage points along the route to Scarborough.

"The NRM remains committed to keeping Flying Scotsman running and, although the locomotive is due to begin its statutory overhaul this winter, we aim to have a new 2007/08 programme of operations in place as soon as possible."

Peter Walker, operations manager and traction inspector for West Coast Railways who operated Flying Scotsman throughout the season, said: "Once the locomotive settled down it ran extremely well for an 82-year-old lady.

"It will be good to see what she can do after the overhaul!"

Updated: 10:04 Monday, September 19, 2005