All-time favourites
If you were to ask me which was my all time favourite class of locomotive on any railway in the world I wouldn't even have to think over my answer. It would surely be Nigel Gresley's 'A3' Class Pacifics.
These engines were introduced in 1923 and eventually 80 were built. For forty years they handled expresses on the East Coast main line between London and Edinburgh and other LNER routes. Their mechanical performance was improved over the years and also in my view their appearance too. Just a few years before the class started to be withdrawn they were fitted with double blastpipes and 'German' style smoke defelectors as in this picture of 60046 - 'Diamond Jubilee' - taken about 1960. This is how I best remember them as a young 'gricer'!
These engines were terrific performers. My memories of them as a child are of seeing them thundering down the Vale of York on summer days wheeling an express along at around the 100 m.p.h. mark - something awesomely beautiful to witness. If you want to read a good book about A3's there are many and perhaps the best photos are here. The picture on this blog was taken from this volume with thanks.
The most famous example of the class today - and sadly the only one to be preserved - is 60113 'Flying Scotsman'. Most of the engines bore the names of famous race horses such as 'Tranquil', 'St. Simon', 'Sansovino' and my all time favourite locomotive for reasons I'll talk about another time 60076 'Galopin'.
posted by Iain @ 6:12 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Have you posted your account of why 60076 Galopin was a favourite loco? I'm also interested in this rather unsung member of the class and would be interested to read your story.
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Dreadfully sorry. Read further blogs where I learnt Iain passed away during 2011. So sad.
Hope I'm not being insensitive but I too wish I could have learned why Iain favoured Galopin. As Night Hawk, I have a soft spot for this loco. In my mind it was the least celebrated of the entire class. Always had a soft spot for the north eastern engines generally, as I lived across a field from the ECM in Northumberland in late 50's - 60's. Unfortunately just too far away to read the numbers. Expect I'd unknowingly have seen most of the Scottish & North Eastern based pacifics. I do recall spotting 60001/4/5/6/15/16/19(just the smoke)/26/36/37/38/52/54/62/85/88/91/103/116/129/141/145/147/151. Many B1's including named 61014/121/238, K1's & V2's. Also a few standards, J27's & Q6's. Also witnessed the sad scrap formations heading south, usually of tall chimneyed 0-6-0's. Much as I appreciate that 103 can still be admired as a representative of the class, I find it mildly irritating that every documentary on the subject seems to maintain the myth that FS was a unique loco, that almost single handedly headed the EC expresses of the day.
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