Which steam locomotive set the record for longest non-stop run in 1989?

The Flying Scotsman set the record for the longest non-stop run by a steam locomotive in 1989.

On 8 August 1989, locomotive No. 4472—then operating as the preserved LNER Class A3 Flying Scotsman—ran 422 miles (679 km) non-stop from Parkes to Broken Hill in New South Wales, Australia. It hauled a 535-tonne train and completed the journey in 9 hours, 25 minutes, and 15 seconds.

The run took place during Flying Scotsman’s Australian tour, which followed earlier overseas visits to the United States and Canada. Extra water was carried in auxiliary tank vehicles, while multiple crews relieved one another during the long journey. The locomotive’s achievement is distinct from its better-known 1934 record: it was the first steam locomotive to reach an officially authenticated 100 mph.

A common mix-up is with the scheduled Flying Scotsman train between London and Edinburgh. That service made a famous 392-mile non-stop run in 1928, but the 1989 Australian journey was much longer and remains the record associated with the locomotive.