King Charles is visiting Pickering today (Monday) to mark the 100th anniversary of Flying Scotsman and the 50th anniversary of The North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

The Royal Train will be pulled into Pickering Heritage Railway Station by the famous locomotive.

On the platform, the King will meet the custodian of Flying Scotsman, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill and Judith McNicol, Director of the National Railway Museum which is home to the Flying Scotsman.

After viewing the footplate of the Flying Scotsman, the King will have an opportunity to meet staff and volunteers who have helped the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and Flying Scotsman reach its significant milestone. Amongst those who will be met include volunteers with over fifty years’ service, apprentices, and a Diesel Fitter.

At the ticket hall, the Chief Executive of North Yorkshire Moors Railway Chris Price will say a few words before His Majesty unveils a plaque commemorating the 50th anniversary.

After departing Pickering Heritage Railway Station, His Majesty will have an opportunity to visit some of the local shops in the town's Market Place including Birdgate Chocolatiers, a handmade chocolatier and ice-cream shop that uses locally-sourced ingredients and Horsley Butchers which sells produce from the Duchy of Lancaster.

After meeting shop owners, His Majesty will head into St Peter and St Paul's Church, a parish church which is part of the Church of England Diocese of York.

The wall paintings of St Peter and St Paul's Church, commissioned around 1450, are one of the most complete sets of medieval wall paintings in Britain and were only first accidentally rediscovered behind plaster in 1852. Depictions on the wall include those of St George slaying the dragon, the biblical story of the beheading of John the Baptist, the Coronation of the Virgin Mary, the seven Corporal Acts of Mercy and The Passion and Crucifixion of Christ.

On a tour of the Church with its Vicar, Reverend Gareth Atha and Dr Kate Giles Co-Director of the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture and Senior Lecturer at the University of York, His Majesty will hear more about the significance of the medieval paintings.

Before departing, His Majesty will sign a visitors’ book. The last Royal visit to the Church was in 1937 by Queen Mary.

The King, along with Queen Camila, visited Ryedale just two months ago.

The Royal couple visited the Talbot Yard in Malton to meet the artisan producers before the King went on to meet representatives of local charities and organisations.

For more on King Charles' visit to Pickering go to gazette@gazetteherald.co.uk