Just finished watching part 2 must say I don't think I'd have found such a programme as interesting if it'd been about a diesel locomotive.However there were two things not explained[unless I missed that bit]firstly at what point did she acquire the "blinkers" on either side of the nose?secondly what was the purpose of them?
Smoke deflectors. Intended to "deflect the smoke" upwards so the drive could see the track ahead better.
I have to say that I loved steam engines as a lad, but most modern programmes about them are all a bit romanticised and boring.
Indeed.
Nigel Gresley the CME of the LNER and the chief designer of the A1/A3 class that included
Flying Scotsman (built 1923), started to experiment with smoke deflectors after enginemen complained about drifting smoke obscuring their view after the A1's were rebuilt as A3 with high pressure larger boilers after 1928. This followed an accident with LMSR
Royal Scot class 4-6-0 engine in 1931 caused by smoke obscuring the driver's vision. Although other engines of the LNER, such as the A2's, did receive smoke deflectors, and a handful of A3's were fitted with changing designs of them, 4472
Flying Scotsman was amoungst many that did not have them fitted at that time. Strangely, given steam was on borrowed time, it was not until 1960 that the German style "trough" deflectors started to be fitted to the A3's, and eventually
Flying Scotsman herself. When Alan Pegler bought the engine after it's withdrawal in 1963 he removed them, along with reverting to a single chimney. The most recent restoration has now restored the "trough" style deflectors visible in the documentary.