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The pioneering high performance “Deltic” (Class 55) diesel-electric locomotives were famous as the successors to steam on British Rail.

Built in 1961 and 1962 by English Electric, they were designed for the high-speed express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London King's Cross and Edinburgh. They gained the name "Deltic" from the prototype locomotive, DP1 Deltic, which in turn was named after its Napier Deltic power units.

Twenty-two locomotives were built: they dominated express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) particularly London – Leeds and London – Edinburgh services until 1978 when InterCity 125 'High Speed Trains' were introduced. 1978–81 saw them gradually relegated to semi-fast or newspaper–parcel–sleeper services along the ECML. Withdrawal came at the end of 1981. Six locomotives were preserved and are still running today. (Link The Deltic Preservation Society).

Over the weekend of 7th and 8th of September, The famous locomotive Mallard was the centrepiece of a free East Coast 'Festival of Speed' open 10am - 5pm each day at Grantham railway station.

The event formed part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of when the speed record was set just south of Grantham at Stoke Bank when the A4 Class steam locomotive hit 126mph on 3rd July, 1938 (Mallard75 Link National Rail Museum).

The National Railway Museum reported, via its Facebook page, that the Grantham Festival of Speed attracted over 15,000 visitors over the weekend.

Link Festival website
Link BBC News Lincolnshire
Link Grantham Journal

Link Collection of photos – (South Kesteven District Council Facebook page)