On 3rd July 2013, marked the 75th Anniversary for the World Speed record held by a Steam Locomotive. Sir Nigel Gresleys A4 Pacific 4498 ‘Mallard’ hauled a test train in 1938 down Stoke Bank near Grantham at 126mph. To mark the occasion. The National Railway Museam in York held talks with the Canadian and American railroad museams owners of two surviving members of the A4 class. The plan was to repatriate them back to the UK for a 2 year loan period. During which time they would receive cosmetic restoration.
60008 – Dwight D Eisenhower
Landing back on home soil after 46 years in Liverpool in 2012 both locomotives 60008 ‘Dwight D Eisenhower’ & 60010 ‘Dominion of Canada’ went on display at NRM Shildon for a short period.
60010 – Dominion of Canada
The four surviving UK members of the A4 class including the NRM’s world record holder ‘Mallard’ gathered together at York to bring all 6 members together for the first time on 3rd July 2013. The National Railway Museam held a two week event, which included high speed railtours by one survivor 60019 ‘Bittern’.
The panorama shows all 6 engines side by side around the turntable in the former York roundhouse 50A North Shed.
The day I visited there was a railtour from Kings Cross in London to York. Featuring the new steam loco completed in 2008, A1 60163 ‘Tornado’. Sporting it’s current livery BR Experimental Blue. This livery really does suit the engine.
60163 – Tornado
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