4468 Mallard :: Shared Description
Number 4468 Mallard is a London and North Eastern Railway Class A4 Pacific steam locomotive built at Doncaster in 1938. It is historically significant because it is the holder of the world speed record for steam locomotives at 125.88 mph. The record was achieved on 3 July 1938 on the slight downward grade of Stoke Bank, south of Grantham on the East Coast Main Line, and the highest speed was recorded at milepost 90¼, between Little Bytham and Essendine.
The A4 class was designed by Sir Nigel Gresley to power high-speed streamlined trains. The aerodynamically designed body and high power allowed the class to reach speeds of over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), although in everyday service it was relatively uncommon for any steam hauled service in the UK to reach even 90 mph.
Mallard covered almost one and a half million miles (2.4 million km) before it was retired in 1963. It was restored to working order in the 1980s, but has not operated since, apart from hauling some specials between York and Scarborough in July 1986 and a couple of runs between York and Harrogate/Leeds around Easter 1987. Mallard is now part of the National Collection at the United Kingdom's National Railway Museum in York
The locomotive is 70 ft (21 m) long and weighs 165 tons, including the tender. It is painted LNER garter blue with red wheels and steel rims.
(Link
Wikipedia)
The A4 class was designed by Sir Nigel Gresley to power high-speed streamlined trains. The aerodynamically designed body and high power allowed the class to reach speeds of over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), although in everyday service it was relatively uncommon for any steam hauled service in the UK to reach even 90 mph.
Mallard covered almost one and a half million miles (2.4 million km) before it was retired in 1963. It was restored to working order in the 1980s, but has not operated since, apart from hauling some specials between York and Scarborough in July 1986 and a couple of runs between York and Harrogate/Leeds around Easter 1987. Mallard is now part of the National Collection at the United Kingdom's National Railway Museum in York
The locomotive is 70 ft (21 m) long and weighs 165 tons, including the tender. It is painted LNER garter blue with red wheels and steel rims.
(Link

by David Dixon
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Created: Sat, 14 Sep 2013, Updated: Sat, 14 Sep 2013
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