The LNER Class A4 4488 Union of South Africa is a steam locomotive designed by Nigel Gresley for the London and North Eastern Railway in 1935. It is one of six surviving Gresley A4s.
The LNER's Express Pacific designs were probably the most famous of the LNER locomotives. Of these Pacifics, the A4 is probably the most famous of all. They have come to be a symbol of 1930s luxury and fascination with speed.
Built by the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) in 1937 at Doncaster Works and originally numbered 4488, she was named after the then newly formed Union of South Africa.
It had previously been allocated the name Osprey on 17 April 1937, but was renamed Union of South Africa to operate The Coronation. It eventually carried the name Osprey in the 1980s and 1990s. This was due to the contemporary political opposition against South Africa, which undertook a controversial policy of racial apartheid from 1948-94. 60009's name has since reverted to Union of South Africa.
The springbok plaque on the side of the locomotive was donated on 12 April 1954 by a Bloemfontein newspaper proprietor. Only the one plaque was fitted on the left hand side of the locomotive. Two cast Springbok plaques were given to John Cameron in the mid 1970s and these were mounted on the cabsides. They have since been removed during overhauls but the original boiler side plaque remains.
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Union of South Africa has worn many liveries throughout its career. The first livery it wore was as 4488 in garter blue, applied on 19 April 1937. The next livery applied was LNER wartime black on 21 March 1942. This livery was amended on 14 August 1943 when the "L" and "R" were removed to confuse potential spies, leaving the all-black locomotive with just "NE" on the tender. 21 February 1947 saw Union of South Africa regain garter blue with red and white lining. Its number was changed to just "9" on 12 January 1946, under the renumbering scheme of Nigel Gresley's successor, Edward Thompson. It gained a stainless steel number 9 during this repaint. On 4 August 1949, 60009 was repainted in the standard British Railways express passenger blue livery as 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley. Finally on 2 October 1952, Union of South Africa was painted in British Railways green livery.
As with all 35 of the Gresley A4 pacific steam locomotives, Union of South Africa was fitted with streamlined valances, or side skirting, when it was built. This was found to hinder maintenance and, as with the rest of the class, it was removed.
60009 has had five tenders through its career, of two differing types. The first tender it had was a 1928 pattern streamlined corridor tender. This was a rebuild of a tender fitted to a Class A1 or A3 beforehand, being streamlined and fitted to 4488 from new. This was later changed for a new-build streamlined corridor tender from 1948 - 1963. After its withdrawal, 60009 donated its tender for conversion to a second, water carrying only tender for 4472 Flying Scotsman. Currently 60009 is fitted with a 1928 pattern streamlined corridor tender, allowing its cab crew to be changed whilst the locomotive is hauling passenger trains.
60009 had a double chimney fitted on 18 November 1958. This feature was first fitted to 4468 Mallard back in 1938. As the safety requirements were tightened after the Harrow and Wealdstone rail crash, Automatic Warning Systems was fitted to all locomotives. 60009 was so fitted on 17 February 1960.
On 24 October 1964 it hauled the last booked steam-hauled train from London King's Cross. It was twenty minutes late through Grantham owing to a broken rail at High Dyke.
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In 1973 the loco left the Lochty Private Railway by road and was taken to Ladybank to be placed back on the National Network. From there it was taken to Kirkcaldy and was based in the former goods shed, from where it worked occasional tours from the Fife town.
Following the 1989 overhaul it started to work railtours all over the UK. These ranged from Plymouth in the south-west to Inverness in the north, from Holyhead in the west to Norwich in the east. 60009 also visited numerous main line connected preserved railways.
In May 1994 the locomotive left its Markinch base for the last time, albeit on the back of a low loader bound for the Severn Valley Railway, Bridgnorth for repairs. After a repair in January 2007 it left the Severn Valley Railway and went to Crewe for fitting of on-train monitoring recorder (OTMR) equipment. In April 2007 it returned home to Scotland with the Railway Touring Company's The Great Britain railtour, and hence to its new base at Thornton. In 2008 continued to work with the Railway Touring Company, pulling trains running between York and Edinburgh on several occasions during the first half of 2008.
In light of the expiry of its boiler certificate, Union of South Africa arrived at Pete Waterman's LNWR Workshops at Crewe in 2010 to undergo an extensive overhaul.
On 9 September 2015, 60009 hauled a train carrying Queen Elizabeth II along with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to officially re-open the Borders Railway between Edinburgh Waverley and Tweedbank. The locomotive subsequently operated railtours on the line throughout September.
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In 2017 John Cameron announced that 60009 would be withdrawn when its boiler ticket expires and placed in the Farming and Railway Visitor Centre in Fife.
In March 2019 a 12-month extension to the boiler certificate was granted.
On 7 March 2020 it hauled its last main line charter - from Ealing Broadway to York via the Midland Main Line - and was then stored at the National Railway Museum.
In October 2020 it was hauled from York to the East Lancashire Railway (ELR), where it entered service in April 2021. It was due to remain operational on the ELR until its boiler certificate expire in April 2022. However, a cracked boiler tube was discovered in early October 2021 and it was retired with immediate effect. Its last public trains were on 3 September 2021, when the second loco in steam was fellow Gresley Pacific, A3 class No 60103 'Flying Scotsman'.
As of April 2023, the locomotive has returned to Fife for static display at John Cameron's Farming and Railway Visitor Centre to be opened at his Balbuthie Farm.
Today, six A4 class locomotives have been preserved, representing a significant part of railway history.
The table below lists all the preserved A4 locomotives:
| Locomotive Number | Name | Current Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4464 | Bittern | York | Ran high-speed runs in 2013 |
| 4468 | Mallard | York | World speed record holder for steam locomotives |
| 4488 (60009) | Union of South Africa | Fife | On static display at John Cameron's Farming and Railway Visitor Centre |
| 4489 (60010) | Dominion of Canada | Canada | Visited UK in 2013, ceremonial bell |
| 4496 (60008) | Dwight D. Eisenhower | Green Bay, Wisconsin | Visited UK in 2013, restored to BR Green condition |
| 4498 (60007) | Sir Nigel Gresley | Mainline certified | Returned to mainline service in 2022 |
The A4 Pacifics were designed for high-speed passenger services. The application of internal streamlining to the steam circuit, higher boiler pressure and the extension of the firebox to form a combustion chamber all contributed to a more efficient locomotive than the A3; consumption of coal and water were reduced.
A further design improvement was fitting a Kylchap double-chimney, first on No. 4468 Mallard in March 1938. The class was noted for its streamlined design, which not only improved its aerodynamics, increasing its speed capabilities, but also created an updraught to lift smoke away from the driver's line of vision, a problem inherent in many steam locomotives particularly those operated with short cut off valve events; fitting smoke deflectors was an alternative solution.
Diagram of an LNER Class A4 locomotive, highlighting its streamlined design and key features.
The distinctive design made it a particularly attractive subject for artists, photographers and film-makers. The streamlining side skirts (side valances) designed by Oliver Bulleid to aerofoil shape that were fitted to all the A4 locomotives, were removed during the Second World War to improve access to the valve gear for maintenance and were not replaced.
This apart, the A4 was one of few streamlined steam locomotive designs in the world to retain its casing throughout its existence. On 3 July 1938, 4468 Mallard - the first of the class to enter service with the Kylchap exhaust - pulling six coaches and a dynamometer car, set a world speed record (indicated by the dynamometer) of 126 mph (202.8 km/h).
No other British steam locomotives have a longer or more consistent record of high speed running than the A4s. Instances of 100 mph running by them must exceed those of all other types combined, though 90 mph (140 km/h) running was a relatively rare event with steam traction, much less 100 mph (160 km/h).
The fastest recorded post-war speed with British steam was also recorded by an A4. This occurred on 23 May 1959 on the Stephenson Locomotive Society Golden Jubilee special when No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley achieved 112 mph when hauling 400 tons down Stoke Bank.
Although A4s were primarily designed for high speed express work they were also capable of high power outputs. In 1940, 4901 Capercaillie exerted 2,200 drawbar horsepower on the straight and level track north of York when hauling 21 coaches (730 tons gross) at an average of 75.9 mph (122.1 km/h) for 25 mi (40 km).
The highest recorded power output from an A4 was 2,450 drawbar horsepower when Mallard itself was hauling 11 coaches (390 tons tare, 415 tons gross) up Stoke Bank at a sustained 80 mph (130 km/h) in 1963.
LNER Class A4 4488 Union of South Africa on The Tynesider
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