IT's every little boys dream to get behind the controls of a steam train and that dream came true for one lucky Trafford boy when the world's most famous steam engine returned to the East Lancs Railway.
Seven-year-old Alfie Proudfoot dreams of becoming a train driver when he grows up, but the Davyhulme Primary School pupil didn't have to wait that long.
The schoolboy got his career off to a flying start by taking control of the legendary locomotive as it came chugging through Greater Manchester last weekend.
Over 4,000 train enthusiasts from all over the country packed themselves onto the platform at Bury's East Lancashire Railway on Sunday to see the iron horse up close.
But only one of them was lucky enough to take the reins of the world famous steam engine.
Alfie was invited onboard to be shown the ropes by the Flying Scotsman's crew.
The Davyhulme boy bravely stepped up to the footplate (with a little help from the East Lancashire Railway crew) to learn the ropes from the expert crew on the heritage railway. He even got to sound the whistle!
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