WarrenSTI

Is anyone planning on going to see the 'Great Gathering' at york National Railway Museum. It's to celebrate the 75 anniversary of Mallard breaking the speed record for Steam locomotives. For the celebrations the NRM have temporarily repatriated the two A4's that are based in the USA and Canada. They have since been cosmetically restored for the celebrations.
So as from 3rd July (to 18th July) there will be all 6 surviving A4's together around the turntable at the NRM for the first time in their preservation.
Unfortunately Mallard hasn't been restored to running condition, but the other 3 UK based A4's all work and regularly haul specials on the mainline.
Heres the NRM link for more details.

http://www.nrm.org.uk/PlanaVisit/Events/mallard75.aspx

Also as part of the celebrations A4 4464 Bittern has been approved to run 3 special trains with authorisation to run up to 90mph.
I went over to Doncaster yesterday to photograph Bittern on the first of the special trips.

Jamz3k

now that is an awesome sight!

CrisPDuk

Great photo Warren

Shame the catenary gets in the way of ECML shots though

Although I do have a soft spot for the Class 91s

WarrenSTI

Thanks guys

Here's a video which my girlfriend shot of Bittern at Doncaster




Here's another one which has some excellent footage of Saturdays trip. The final clip in the film shows Bittern coming through Doncaster.

mart360

absolutly bloody superb!!!

Makes your modern intercity 125 look a bit crap!!! lol

Mart

CrisPDuk

The InterCity 125 isn't modern Mart, they first entered service nearly 40 years ago

They were replaced on the ECML over 20 years ago, blimey I feel old in my anorak tonight

Just had a thought for a future NRM display; GNR Nos 1 & 251, 4472 Flying Scotsman, 4468 Mallard, D9002 KOYLI, a class 43 and a Class 91 - The evolution of ECML power

Oldun

Brilliant post with excellent videos.
The sound of the chime whistle followed by the loco at full steam was fantastic.

Unfortunately I can't get to the event

Leslie

If it wasn't so far I would go.

Les

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

It will be lovely to see all those A4's again in one place. Even if they are painted the wrong (for me) colour and have the silly spats over the motion.

I just wish more thought had been given to preservation.
Apart from Mallard, no thought was given to it at all.

Canada and the USA got locos that had some importance to them.
The locos bearing the names of New Zealand and Australia went for scrap.

The one bearing the name of South Africa was preserved, while the one bearing the name of India went for scrap.

The Doyen of the class, No2509, which became 60014, Silver Link, was scrapped very early, a sad ommission, imho: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...ster_Works.jpg

The loco which recorded the highest speed apart from Mallard, No2512, then 60017, Silver Fox, also went for scrap: http://www.redbubble.com/people/olym...fic-silver-fox

Yet we have preserved, 60019, "Bittern", because it was one of the last to receive a general overhaul, so was in the best condition at the end. A bit of a nonentity in the class, however.

Funkii Munkii

I jumped on a 125 to Bristol a couple of weeks back and they're remarkably good still with the MKIII coaches, you wouldn't know they were 36 years old.

I heard Bittern got up to 93 mph

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Nice vids.

I know the whistle is a lovely sound, I just wish they wouldn't over use it.

As a boy, I watched those things coming through Doncaster like that, and you rarely heard the whistle.

tubbytommy

iTrader: (20)

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

I've not long taken my two year old to the NRM. I have genuinely never seen him so excited as he was that day. All the exhibits and its free!

Had a picture taken of me with Isaac next to the Mallard and also saw the original Flying Scotsman in the workshop being restored. Genuinely fascinating day out, and I'm 28

Iirc, the art gallery opens up again this month too.

Osimabu

iTrader: (2)

Sadly I can't get that excited about the six A4s being brought together, marvellous spectacle though it undoubtedly is.

The fact there are six of them left, yet not one locomotive from my beloved Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway made it into preservation (the last one being scrapped in 1953) seems rather unfair.

Still, maybe one day in my lifetime there will be a new-build Johnson Class C or Beyer Peacock Class A 4-4-0 to drool over. I can but dream....

Great photos and videos above, for which many thanks, incidentally.

WarrenSTI

Thanks for all the comments guys I didnt realise there were so many of us railway enthusiasts on here. To be honest I'm not on any rail forums but lets try and keep this thread going or nay be start a new one for railway chit chat and photos. I'm going over to the NRM this Saturday to see the 6 A4's and I'll post the pics on here afterwards.

In the meantime heres a pic of my car

Oldun

Like trains? Take a look here...

https://www.scoobynet.com/non-scooby...scrapyard.html

wrx300scooby

I see the last run scheduled for the 27th has been cancelled due to the hot and dry weather
Does anyone know when Bittern is likely to run again please?