A1 by Ifor

Puzzle explanation

Highlighted cells represent London (L on DON) and Edinburgh (ED in BURGH), connected by the FLYING SCOTSMAN rail service. Letters removed (“flying”) from clues spelt out Scots male names: Ranald, Alastair, Callum, Cameron, Arran, Finlay, Murdo, Logan, Ian. The Flying Scotsman service was once run by the LNER (24dn) and sometimes hauled by the eponymous A1 class locomotive, whose running number during the height of its fame and in its preserved state is 4472, given by the undefined and thematically-clued entries at 44ac, 7dn, 2dn.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Removed letters Answer Explanation
Across
1 (RAN) OROBANCHACEAE O + ROB + A + CHANCE * + AE
9 (ALD)ers PUDU PURSUED * − ERS *
11 (ALAS) MAUDLIN MAUD + L + IN
13 Me(T A) IMARET (ME + TRAI(n)) *
14 A(IR)’s ASTILBE A + BLISTE(r) *
15 (CALL) MUGWUMP MUG + W + UMP
16   SWAM MAW’S <
18 for(UM) TO-TEAR TEAR after TO
19 (CAME)lot’s EGGCUP EG + G(uinevere) + CUP
22 i(RON) RADIAL (LAR around (I + DA)) <
25   SET (poin)SET(tia)
26 he(AR) SIKHS SHEIKHS − HE
28 (RAN)ge NONG NON + G(e)
31   LOGE LEGO *
32 De(FIN)e INDEW D in WINE *
34   OIL SOIL − S
37 re(LAY) RECOIL RE + COIL
39   STRESS MISTRESS − MI
40 (MUR)ray MAGYAR (RAY + GAM(e)) <
41   EMEU ME in ((swin)E (fl)U)
42 out(DO)ing SOOTHLY SMOOTHLY − M
44   APTERAL APT + (L after ERA)
46 s(LOG)an NEAFES (FREE − R + SAN) *
48   REALIGN ((a)R(r)A(n)G(e) + LINE) *
49 Mo(AN) MILO MO around (w)IL(d)
50 med(IAN) MONOCOTYLEDON (COLONY ON TO MED) *
Down
1   OPIATES SEPARATION * − RAN *
2   ODA (A(n) O(ver-the-border) D(estination)) *
3   ANEW AN + (E, W)
4   NATURAL GAS NATURAL + GAS
5   HASP HAS + P
6   AUTOGENIC (TO GAIN CUE) *
7   ELL (E(dinburgh) + L(ondon)) around L
8   ENEMATA (MEAN TEA) *
10   URGED DRUG * around E
12   DISCS DISCOVERS − OVER
15   MORIA -IA after MOR
17   APE A + PE
20   GLOVE-MONEY (G + Y) around (LOVE + M + ONE)
21   USED MUSED − M
23   ISOMETRIC EROTICISM *
24   LNER (REN + L(ondon)) <
27   KILT 2 meanings
29   BELAY BE + LAY
30   TONE ARM TOM around NEAR
33   WARISON WARN around ISO
35   ISM SM after I
36   CRUEL (CUE around R) + L
38   OGHAM HAM after GO <
42   SAGO OATS * with G for (breakfas)T
43   TELL (sa)TELL(ite)
45   TAN (triden)T AN(d)
47   FID IF < + (cor)D
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