THE campaign to keep the Flying Scotsman locomotive in the UK has won the backing of Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson.

He has pledged a substantial amount of money to the appeal by the National Railway Museum, in York, to stop the legendary steam locomotive from being sold abroad.

Its current owner, Flying Scotsman plc, put it up for sale earlier this year and bids are expected from foreign railway museums and private investors in the US.

Sealed bids have to be submitted by Friday, but Sir Richard hopes his donation will be enough to persuade the owners to take it off the market.

He said yesterday: "We feel very very strongly that the train should not be allowed to go overseas and we are willing to make an offer with the National Railway Museum to the owners, which I believe will be a conditional offer on the basis that it does not go to tender and that there is no risk of the train going abroad.

"We will be putting our offer on the table tomorrow and we would hope that it would be substantive enough to stop it going to tender.

"After what the British public saw happening to Concorde, I don't think they will allow the same to happen to another British icon."

The National Railway Museum's appeal attracted more than 1,000 individual donations in the first week.

Published: 29/03/2004