LNER Class A4
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Mallard_locomotive_625.jpg
Sir Nigel Gresley introduced the famous LNER Class A4 locomotives in 1935 to pull a new train called the Silver Jubilee, between London King's Cross and Newcastle, in celebration of King George V's 25th year of reign.
The A4 pacifics (with the 4-6-2 wheel arrangement) were designed for low consumption of coal and water on all kinds of services; passenger and freight. With the introduction of the double-exhaust Kylchap blastpipe, the consumption levels of the above dropped even more, gaining more revenue to their operators.
On July 3 1938 the Mallard, newly fitted with the Kylchap exhaust, set a world speed record of 125 mph (201.2 km/h), pulling six cars plus a dynamometer car. Although the dynamometer car indicated a top speed of 126 mph (202.8 km/h), Sir Nigel Gresley never accepted this speed as the record-breaking maximum. He claimed this speed could only have been attained over a few yards (metres). He was comfortable that the German speed record of 124.5 mph (200.4 km/h) had been surpassed.
The Class A4 locomotives were known to train spotters as "streaks".
A4s in preservation
More A4s have survived in preservation than any other LNER class.
| Exibition loco | Undergoing refurbishment | In use |
| Numbers | Name | Current Location | Condition | |
| Original | BR | |||
| 4464 | 60019 | Bittern | Mid Hants Watercress Railway | Undergoing refurbishment to mainline condition |
| 4468 | 60022 | Mallard | National Railway Museum, York | Believed to be in working order, but with expired boiler certificate; Static display |
| 4488 | 60009 | Union of South Africa | Severn Valley Railway | Full working order, mainline certificate |
| 4489 | 60010 | Dominion of Canada | Canadian Railway Museum | Static display |
| 4496 | 60008 | Dwight D Eisenhower | National Railroad Museum, Green Bay, Wisconsin | Static display |
| 4498 | 60007 | Sir Nigel Gresley | North Yorkshire Moors Railway | Undergoing refurbishment to mainline condition |
External links
- LNER Encyclopedia Page covering the history and development of the LNER A4 Pacifics (http://www.winwaed.com/rail/LNER/locos/A/a4.shtml)
- Detailed list of the names, numbers and production dates of LNER A4 locomotives (http://www.bath.ac.uk/~hssmrg/a4.html)