LNER 60007 'Sir Nigel Gresley' visits Devon for the first time on the Cathedrals Express 10/04/14 скачать в хорошем качестве

LNER 60007 'Sir Nigel Gresley' visits Devon for the first time on the Cathedrals Express 10/04/14

Making her first ever appearance on the South Devon banks is preserved London and North Eastern Railway Gresley Pacific number 60007 'Sir Nigel Gresley', seen slowing for the temporary speed restriction along the Sea Wall at Dawlish Warren whilst working the 'Cathedrals Express' from Westbury to Kingswear. The tour was not only 60007's first ever visit to Devon, but was also the first steam tour to run along the Sea Wall after the devastating storms of January and February caused a breach that brought rail travel in the South West to a halt for 63 days. Although the railway line is now open, repair work continues to be carried out on the wall itself, meaning that the usual selection of vantage points along the wall have been closed off for the time being. Probably the biggest casualty of the modernization plan, and the most prominent part of UK steam preservation is Gresley's illustrious A4 Pacifics. Designed by Sir Nigel Gresley, the A4's entered service in 1935 as part of the East Coast Mainline's plan to create faster services between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh. Premiering on the London and North Eastern Railway's Silver Jubilee express, the locomotives saw only a short period of limelight and glory before the dark years of World War II stripped them down to the bare minimums, with Garter Blue and Silver being replaced with Wartime black. However, in this short period of time, one of the class had been able to secure the world record for steam locomotives at 126mph, a record that still stands today as held by locomotive number 4468 Mallard, a resident at the National Railway Museum in York. The locomotives were worked practically to death between 1939 and 1945, and even after the war they never regained the true glory they had experienced in the glamour years of LNER passenger service. Following the formation of British Rail in 1948 the locomotives continued to soldier on until the arrival of diesel locomotives saw their diagrams and workload reduced. The end truly came with the arrival of the Class 55 Deltic's, a fleet of 22 100mph diesel locomotives that took charge of the prime expresses on the East Coast. Withdrawals began in late 1963, and as their numbers were whittled down, a handful of remaining locomotives found themselves working Edinburgh to Aberdeen trains in the Highlands of Scotland, a shadow of their former duties on the Elizabethan and Tees-Tyne Pullman. The last two locomotives to be withdrawn were 60019 Bittern and 60024 Kingfisher in September 1966. Today 6 members of the 35 strong fleet have survived into preservation, including the locomotive to bear the designers name number 60007 or 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley. This particular locomotive entered traffic in 1937 as the 27th member of the class to be built. Being the 100th Gresley designed Pacific to be built, the distinction fell upon this locomotive to be named in the honor of its designer Sir Nigel Gresley, although originally the locomotive was meant to be named Bittern and the name Sir Nigel Gresley was intended to be bestowed on classmate 4492, later to be named Dominion of New Zealand. The locomotive lived a largely uneventful career, surviving the blitz of WWII and the melancholy years that followed, although she was given the distinction of holding the fastest post-war steam record at a speed of 112mph in 1959. Her final shed designation was to Aberdeen, being one of a handful of locomotives to be retained for Edinburgh - Aberdeen trains, before her final retirement in 1966. Immediately the locomotive was bought for preservation by the A4 Locomotive Society, and spent most of her preserved career at Carnforth Steamtown, being only one of two A4's to be registered for mainline operation, the other being 60009 Union of South Africa. Since then the locomotive has been based at a variety of locations, but is now resident at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Enjoy!