LNER Class A4 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley
60007 Sir Nigel Gresley is an LNER Class A4 4-6-2 ("Pacific") steam locomotive built to a design of Sir Nigel Gresley in 1937 at Doncaster Works for operation on the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER). The locomotive holds the post-war speed record for steam locomotives on British Railways. The locomotive was withdrawn from service in 1966 and purchased for preservation the same year; it is one of six A4s to be preserved.
60007 at the Barrow Hill Roundhouse in April 2009
At the Rocket 150 celebrations in May 1980
60007 at Bristol Temple Meads station in July 2008
60007 in Wartime Black livery at Grosmont in September 2022
The LNER Class A4 is a class of streamlined 4-6-2 steam locomotive designed by Nigel Gresley for the London and North Eastern Railway in 1935. Their streamlined design gave them high-speed capability as well as making them instantly recognisable, and one of the class, 4468 Mallard, holds the record as the world's fastest steam locomotive. Thirty-five of the class were built to haul express passenger trains on the East Coast Main Line route from London Kings Cross via York to Newcastle, and later via Newcastle to Edinburgh, Scotland. They remained in service on the East Coast Main Line until the early 1960s when they were replaced by Deltic diesel locomotives; they themselves proving to be worthy successors to the A4s. Several A4s saw out their remaining days until 1966 in Scotland, particularly on the Aberdeen – Glasgow express trains, for which they were used to improve the timing from 3.5 to 3 hours.
60009 Union of South Africa in 1951
An unidentified A4, showing their original appearance with streamlined skirts covering the wheels.
Plaque on Mallard in commemoration of breaking the previous world speed record of 124.5 mph
George Henry Haygreen (left) on his retirement day with Fireman Charlie Fisher