Museum bosses have appealed for donations to keep one of the world's most famous locomotives running on Britain's railways.
The National Railway Museum in York fears time is running out to raise the funds needed to prevent the Flying Scotsman from going abroad.
The museum's bid has topped £220,000 just two weeks before the deadline to buy the rail icon.
A museum spokeswoman said: "Sealed bids must be in by 2 April and foreign buyers are expected to be among the museum's rivals for the national treasure."
A team from the museum is travelling to London to make a final pre-bid inspection of the 81-year-old locomotive which, in 1934, became the first in the world to officially break the 100mph barrier.
Public donations have ranged from £1 to £50,000, with a £25,000 donation from the Friends of the National Railway Museum.
Bosses are now hoping to convince national funders to back the bid.
Andrew Scott, head of the museum, said: "This huge groundswell of support tells us that the British public clearly believes, as do we, that such an important part of our railway heritage should belong to the nation."
Shouldn`t they be knocking on the National Lottery`s Door? After all, i think its a great bit of engineering, and a part of our History, breaking the 100 mph barrier was such an achievement back in those days.( and an even rare occaision on todays trains)
Could Chunky`s lack of posts recently mean he is being trained as the new, "Casey Jones" to drive the Flying Scotsman, and who`ll be his Fireman? shovelling in the coal at a rapid rate of knots. At least the trains of yesteryear had character to them, I for one would like to see her stay in the UK
