ARTIST John Fallon perfectly captured the moment . . . the iconic Flying Scotsman locomotive pulling away from Minehead station in a flurry of steam.

The only problem was that when John completed the painting, the Scotsman was nowhere near West Somerset!

“I used a little artistic licence,” admitted John, who runs a gallery under his name in The Avenue.

“I had a very nice photograph of the engine leaving London’s Euston station and just changed the background to Minehead. You can see the town and North Hill in the background.

“I seem to have got away with it because I’ve sold all the prints I’ve had made and have had to order more. A copy in the gallery window has been much admired, too.”

John, who normally specialises in local scenes and portraits, said he’s not exactly a steam buff: “I just thought it would be an interesting challenge.”