Difference between revisions of "LNER 60009 Union of South Africa"

Revision as of 14:00, 19 March 2018

60009 Union of South Africa in October 2012

60009 Union of South Africa was a former SVRSevern Valley Railway resident, having first arrived in 1990 but being referred to as a 'guest' until 1995. The locomotive left in 2006.

The A4 Class of streamlined 4-6-2 ‘PacificLocomotive with a 4-6-2 wheel configuration’ steam locomotive was designed in 1935 by Nigel (later Sir Nigel) GresleySir Nigel Gresley, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London & North Eastern Railway 1923-1941, the LNERLondon & North Eastern Railway CMEChief Mechanical Engineer. The locomotives were used to haul express passenger trains on the East Coast Main Line route from London Kings Cross via York and Newcastle to Edinburgh, Scotland. One of the class, 4468 Mallard, holds the world record as the fastest steam locomotive.

60009 Union of South Africa was built at Doncaster in 1937. The locomotive was originally numbered 4488 and was to have been named ‘Osprey’ (Mallard and Bittern are the other surviving A4s named after birds), but was out-shopped as Union of South Africa after the newly formed Union. 4488 originally carried streamlined valances, but these were removed in 1942. Post-War the locomotive was renumbered 9 by the LNERLondon & North Eastern Railway in 1946; following nationalisation BRBritish Rail or British Railways changed this to 60009.

Union of South Africa worked out of the Edinburgh Haymarket and Aberdeen sheds until withdrawn by BRBritish Rail or British Railways in June 1966, and was purchased by John Cameron in July of the same year. The locomotive first arrived on the SVRSevern Valley Railway in 1990, receiving repairs and working main line tours until 1995 while being referred to as a 'guest'. In autumn 1995 SVRSevern Valley Railway News referred to the locomotive for the first time as part of the SVRSevern Valley Railway ‘home fleet’, in which status it remained until leaving the SVRSevern Valley Railway in 2006 to join John Cameron’s locomotive 61994 The Great Marquess in Scotland.

60009 returned for Gala appearances in spring 1992 and autumn 1994 while still a 'guest' locomotive.

In 2017 it was announced she would be withdrawn from active service and from 2019 be housed permanently in a new 'Farming and Railway Visiting Centre' at Balbuthie, St Monans with 61994 The Great Marquess.^[1]

See also

Former Residents

References

1. ↑ Steam Railway Magazine 27 January 2017

SVRSevern Valley Railway News