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Description:
Mallard 4468 A4 Pacific 4-6-2 designed by Sir Nigel Gresley and holder of the World Speed record for Steam set on the 3rd July 1938 at a measured 126 mph (202 kph). Mallard was built in 1937 at a cost of 8,500 (Pounds Stirling) and was finally withdrawn from service in 1963. Thirty five examples of the A4 Pacific were built, the first being 'Silver Link' operating the 'Silver Jubilee' express passenger train service between Kings Cross, London to Newcastle via Darlington. The type was never displaced from prime routes such as London to Edinburgh non-stop 'The Elizabethan' by any later steam design, but eventually passed on the mantle to Diesels in the early 1960s. Designed from the outset with speed in mind, the aerodynamic body was developed in wind tunnel tests, that not only looked at drag factors but also clearance of the smoke away from the drivers view. Enlarged steam passages from the regulator to the blastpipe made for extremely good free-running and additional firebox volume in the form of a combustion chamber helped steam production and was matched by a Kylchap double-chimney exhaust system, which initially was limited to a few locomotives but later retrofitted to the entire fleet. The first A4s were painted in Silver schemes, then LNER Green locomotives were introduced and used as general service locomotives and given bird names, while others were painted in Garter Blue carrying Empire names such as 'Union Of South Africa' and 'Dominion of Canada'. Eventually all A4s wore the Garter Blue scheme but as WW2 came about they were repainted in black and heavily loaded, 4469 'Sir Ralph Wedgewood' being lost in an air raid in York. During this period, much of the side skirting was also removed to facilitate fast maintenance of a vital component of the war effort. Over time many were renamed in honour of various individuals that included of course 'Sir Nigel Gresley', but also 'Dwight D. Eisenhower' and many others. For a full listing see http://www.da4e.nl/a4index.html Leading particulars include: Totol Weigh