The number pictured yesterday belongs to Mallard a Class A4 Pacific designed by Sir Nigel Gresley and built in Doncaster. On 3rd July 1938 Mallard attained a world speed record for steam traction of 126mph which has never been officially broken. She was restored to working order in the 1980s but has not run since 1987. She is currently in the NRM collection at York.
This picture also illustrates the difference between a Train and a Locomotive. Mallard is a locomotive, The Coronation is a Train which consists of a loco (in this case Mallard) plus a number of interconnected carriages. Named for the coronation of George VI it was a passenger train run by LNER between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh Waverley stations. It was usually hauled by a steamlined pacific A4 in Garter Blue livery with red wheels as indeed it is here.
I don't know much about trains, but I say it's a beauty.
ReplyDeleteI thought Mallard the most elegant loco ever built until I saw the newly re-streamlined Duchess of Hamilton (peeping out from behind Mallard in the photo above). More on her another day.
ReplyDeleteAnother cool one - beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely fascinating, the Locomotive, the Train, the photo, the information.
ReplyDeleteThe Mallard certainly is an impressive looking train, sorry, loco. What a beautiful shade of blue too. The latent trainspotter side of me is enjoying the museum visit!
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