In 1986 at a Steamrail Victoria board meeting suggested a year of steam locomotives to celebrate Australia bicentenary year. inspiration came from the Stockton & Darlington Railway 150th celebrations in 1975. in 1987 the chief of the operation called the National railway museum in the UK to ask if locomotive No.4468 Mallard was available for the occasion but with the 50th anniversary of the speed record coming up the offer was declined. Sir William Mcalpine received a call asking for flying Scotsman to come to Australia for the event with funding planned for the trip to and from Australia. after a look up at a his ban William mcalpine agreed with there being no chance of what happened at the end of the USA tour reoccurring. In 1988 Scotsman arrived and began trials in Sydney for the start of the tour around Australia. when flying Scotsman arrived in Victoria she was prepared for the next leg of the tour with 2 R class locomotives made at the same place as Scotsman. this included a triple header which the return journey was cancelled after R 761 followed flying Scotsman into the standard gauge loop and derailed. upon leaving Victoria Scotsman did a triple parallel run with the R class locomotives to Seymour.