HUNDREDS of trainspotters were left frustrated when a view of the famous Flying Scotsman steam train was blocked by a regular train pulling into a station at the same time.

Because the historic train had been delayed, the South Western Railway service from Cardiff to Southampton, stopped at the exact moment the hotly anticipated Scotsman came 'flying through.

Around 200 railway enthusiasts, who had come from miles around and waited about 45 minutes for the 96-year-old train, but were left with pictures of standard livery South West Trains carriages instead.

Photographer Mark Cross, 59, watched the blunder take place at Romsey Station, at 10.20am yesterday.

He said: "As I waited I joked 'if it doesn't hurry up another train is going to come', and then this train started to pull in.

"Lo and behold there was a cloud of steam and the Flying Scotsman flew through the station.

"There were a lot of groans on the left platform - a lot of people were left disappointed.

"They had been waiting there with their equipment, everyone was set up to take pictures of the Scotsman, there were people with stepladders and everything."

The video producer from Romsey added: "It was over in seconds, the train came flying through. The driver of the South West train probably got a bit of abuse.

"I felt rather sorry for everyone who missed out."

The Flying Scotsman locomotive was built in Doncaster in 1923 and became the first locomotive of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), running the express passenger service between Edinburgh and London.

It is currently on a tour of the UK.