LNER

Note: unless otherwise stated, all pictures are the copyright of Paul Egerton.

The London and Northern Eastern Railway (LNER) produced a number of iconic designs ranging from the imperious A4 class of which No 4468 (BR No 60022) “Mallard” attained a world speed record for steam traction of 126 mph on 3rd July 1938.

K1 Class.

Here we see number 62005 running as long scrapped 62034 crossing the River Esk at Ruswarp on the run into Whitby. This image was taken on 22 October 2006 before the advent of affordable and quality digital SLR camera’s so apologises for the image quality.

A3 Class

Everyone may not have heard of LNER Number 4472 or its BR number, 60103. But say its name, “Flying Scotsman”, and instantly it becomes recognisable as a household name.

Designed by Sir Nigel Gresley, 4472 was built in 1923 but initially carried the Great Northern Railway numbering of 1472 as it had been built under their auspices and the LNER which absorbed the GNR at the time of the grouping, had not decided upon a system-wide numbering system.

My picture was taken with the engine now in the ownership of the National Railway Museum at Ludgershall in Buckinghamshire on 5 June 2018.

A4 Class

Designed by Sir Nigel Gresley and introduced in 1935, their streamline design makes them instantly recognisable.  One member of the class No 4468 “Mallard” holds the world steam record at 126 mph.  

Pictured is No 600009 “Union of South Africa” in its British Railways numbering and livery. Unfortunately, due to the time of day when the engine passed through Bletchley Station, the colour does not show up that well.

I was dead lucky on 6 December 2019, as I caught 60009 heading south by Great Train Robbers Bridge on a positioning run from Wolverton Works to Southall. The engine however was failed at the Kings Langley loop due to a hot box (again) on the tender which I guess was annoying, as that is what caused the engine to be stabled at Wolverton for in the first place.

Another example of the class is 4464 “Bittern” seen here in its LNER Garter Blue livery running around its train at Sheffield Park on the Bluebell Railway when it was on hire to that line on 31 October 2015.

60009 “Union of South Africa” was out on a Railway Touring Company one-way excursion from Ealing Broadway to York on 7 March 2020.  Here it is passing Sharnbrook Junction near Bedford.

This turned out to be its last mainline run as its owner has now withdrawn the locomotive from the mainline list. It is expected to be based at the East Lancashire Railway during 2020.