LNER Class A4 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley
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 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley at the Rocket 150 celebrations |
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| Power type | Steam |
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| Designer | Sir Nigel Gresley |
| Build date | October 30th 1937 |
| Configuration | 4-6-2 |
| Gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in) |
| Top speed | 112 mph |
| Career | London and North Eastern Railway |
| Class | A4 |
| Number | 4498, renum 7 in 1946, renum 60007 |
| Official name | Sir Nigel Gresley |
| Current owner | Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Preservation Trust Ltd. |
| Disposition | Restored to operating condition and in operation at North Yorkshire Moors Railway |
London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) A4 Class number 4498 (original), 7 (LNER 1946) and 60007 (BR), named Sir Nigel Gresley is a preserved British steam locomotive.
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[edit] Liveries
As with the other members of the 35-strong class, Sir Nigel Gresley wore many liveries throughout her career. She was released to traffic on October 30th 1937 in the standard LNER garter blue of the A4 Pacifics. New numbers and letters for the tender in stainless steel were added in a general overhaul January 16th 1939. Sir Nigel Gresley was repainted into wartime black with LNER markings on February 21st 1942. The next repaint was into black with NE markings on October 20th 1943, as a deterrent to wartime spies. After the war, Sir Nigel Gresley regained LNER garter blue livery with red/white lining on March 6th 1947. With the formation of British Railways came new liveries and Sir Nigel Gresley was painted into British Railways dark blue with black and white lining on September 27th 1950. The final livery change was into British railways brunswick green livery on April 17th 1952. In preservation, Sir Nigel Gresley wore garter blue (with stainless steel letters and numbers as 4498 added later) from 1966 until her overhaul in the late 1990s, when she gained her current British Railways blue livery as 60007. This livery was retained again after the 2006 overhaul.
[edit] Technical Details
As with the earlier LNER A4 Pacifics, Sir Nigel Gresley was built with single chimney and side valances covering the wheels. The valances were removed to aid in maintenance on February 21st 1942. Sir Nigel Gresley gained her double chimney and Kylchap double blastpipe on December 13th 1957. 60007 also gained AWS (Automatic Warning System) equipment on September 27th 1950. A Smith-Stone type speed recorder was fitted on June 30th 1960.
Sir Nigel Gresley has had twelve boilers in her career: 8961 (from new); 8946 (from 4483 Kingfisher), February 21st 1942; 9489 (new boiler), March 6th 1947; 29271 (from 60024 Kingfisher), September 27th 1950; 29319 (new build), April 17th 1952; 29306 (spare), October 19th 1953; 29321 (from 60010 Dominion of Canada), March 12th 1955; 29314 (from 60026 Miles Beevor), April 13th 1957; 29324 (from 60015 Quicksilver), December 13th 1957; 29331 (new build), April 16th 1959; 27970 (new build), October 7th 1960 and finally 27966 (from 60016 Silver King), October 25th 1962.
Sir Nigel Gresley had two tenders in her career: 5329 from new build to August 8th 1943 and then 5324 from that time.
[edit] Career
Built for the LNER in 1937, and the 100th Gresley Pacific built. Her Doncaster Works number was 1863. It was originally numbered 4498. It is a 4-6-2 locomotive to the same design by Sir Nigel Gresley as the more famous Mallard.
Locomotive 4498 was actually due to receive the name Bittern, originally suggested for 4492 (later Dominion of New Zealand). So the story goes, an LNER enthusiast who worked in the Railway Correspondence and Travel Society, realised in time that 4498 was the 100th Gresley Pacific locomotive and the suggestion was made that the locomotive be named after her designer. The name Bittern was later carried on 4464.
Sir Nigel Gresley was allocated to Kings Cross 'Top Shed' from new. As LNER locomotive 7, she was reallocated to Grantham on April 23rd 1944, but sent back to Top Shed on June 4th 1950. Top Shed kept 60007 until the depot was closed, then Sir Nigel Gresley was reallocated to New England shed on June 16th 1963. Sir Nigel Gresley was then allocated to St Margarets shed, to work the Edinburgh - Aberdeen trains, until final shed allocation was to Aberdeen on July 20th 1964.
Sir Nigel Gresley received a repaint at Doncaster Works February 25th 1938, and larger coal space was also provided as the locomotive was displayed at an exhibition in Manchester. Sir Nigel Gresley was also used for the opening of the Rugby testing station from August 23rd - October 8th 1948. 60007 was placed onto the rollers without her tender and run up to high speeds to monitor the coal and water usage of the locomotive.
Sir Nigel Gresley is the holder for the post-war steam record speed of 112mph gained on the 23 May 1959 and carries a plaque to that effect. As with Mallard's record. this was descending southward from Stoke Summit, but unlike Mallard's run which was a special attempt, this was with a full train of passengers returning from an excursion to Doncaster works. The excursion exceeded 100 mph on two other occasions on the same day. Unfortunately, because of a paper strike at the time, the logs of these are not as accessible as for some other workings.
[edit] Preservation
Withdrawn from service by British Railways on February 1st 1966, it was targeted by the A4 Preservation Society, which was soon renamed the A4 Locomotive Society, to rescue the locomotive from the cutter’s torch. This was achieved, and the ‘Streak’ was moved to Crewe for refurbishment. Fellow A4 No 60026 Miles Beevor also subsequently visited the former LMS works after its own withdrawal, and its three pairs of 6ft 8in driving wheels were transferred to No 60007 because they were in a far better condition than those on the newly saved engine [1]
For a long period of her preservation, Sir Nigel Gresley was kept at Steamtown Carnforth, at the old locomotive depot. This was a prime location for her mainline operations, being the only mainline A4 after 1973 other than Union of South Africa. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Mallard's record run, on July 3rd 1988, the National Railway Museum assembled 3 of the 4 UK-based A4 Pacific locomotives at the museum, this had not been done before in preservation and on July 3rd 2008 it is hoped the NRM will have all 4 UK-based A4s attending.
By 1994, Sir Nigel Gresley stayed at the Great Central Railway, before spending some time at the East Lancashire Railway. The locomotive is now preserved at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and is in daily operation, following a 10 year overhaul to working order. It is owned by Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Preservation TrustLtd. and operated by the A4 Locomotive Society Ltd. on behalf of the Trust.
[edit] Gallery
 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley whistles as she trundles along at the 1980 Rainhill Trials 150th anniversary calvacade in LNER garter blue livery. |
 Sir Nigel Gresley's record speed plate. |
 Two generations of East Coast streamliners — 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley stands next to a British Rail Class 43 power car. |
 Departing Goathland with a train for Pickering, in 2002 |
[edit] References
- Clarke, David (2005). Locomotives in Detail: 3 Gresley 4-6-2- A4 Class.. Ian Allan Publishing. An overall history of the Gresley A4 class, as well as unparalleled details about the class and individual members.
- Yeadon, W.B. (2001). Yeadon's Register of LNER Locomotives: Volume Two: Gresley A4 and W1 classes.. Booklaw/Railbus is association with Challenger. Histories of the A4 and W1 classes of locomotive with details of repairs and liveries etc.
[edit] External links
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