4464 Bittern to do 90mph on ECML - 29 June & 27 July 2013

And we all are quite unoriginal!

 

The number plates are the originals Tom!

PS. Are they? LOL.

 

Ah yes - well it's there in the photo - I wonder who placed it there?

 

Together at last - all 6 A4s at the NRM 4 July 2013

The bold initiative of former NRM Director Steve Davies finally bore fruit this
week at the Great Gathering, when all six surviving members of Sir Nigel
Gresley's A4 Pacifics were brought together in the museum's Great Hall. This
vision necessitated the repatriation of the two locomotives which had been
donated to railway museums in North America in the 1960s, No 60008 Dwight D.
Eisenhower in the USA and No 60010 Dominion of Canada in that country. This was
achieved last autumn and since then they have both been bulled up to exhibition
condition. Meanwhile the three examples working in the UK were also booked to
join Mallard and their transatlantic sisters, in time for the 75th anniversary
of Mallard's world record speed for steam traction of 126 mph, achieved on 3
July 1938.

The NRM marketed special earlybird photography sessions for each morning of the
Great Gathering, and I secured one for the day after the official opening. Even
with only 50 or so participants, photography was still a challenge, but the
engines were well spaced out. Then the Great Hall overwhelmed with people within
five minutes of the museum opening to the public, so I felt lucky to have the
chance to take photos in the relative peace of the early morning.

18 pictures are at http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/p424434175

Peter, on a pleasant summer evening in Manchester
http://pjhtransportpix.zenfolio.com/

 

Just out of interest does anyone know how wasy it is to get to the Mallard sign by the ECML near Eddendine? I am planning on going to see Bittern on the southbound run and think this would be a good spot to catch her if for no other reason then they will hopefully put on a show as they go past the spot, not suggesting a new speed record but certainly they should blow the whistle in salute.

 

This might help:
http://nemesisrepublic.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/126-mallards-record-run.html
(scroll down to map and photo)

Oh, and it's "Essendine". Think you need to swap the keys on your keyboard

Richard

 

...and I thought that I would be the only one with that idea!

 

Could be a little busy at that point... that's where I was planning on going too!

James at SVN

 

I'll see you there!

 

It looks like it's a Nat Pres party on Stoke Bank

 

You will all get there and find ice cream vans, burger bars, and a childrens playground with swings all set up!

Oh. And a full BBC film crew.

 

I was thinking to be there too.

 

I understand the local farmer is a: very vigilant and b: pretty hostile!

 

I'll be there too. Briefly. Hopefully at about 90MPH. Providing it rains a bit by then.

 

So there's a chance of seeing a few photographers breaking speed records too?

Richard

 

Seems a shame. Perhaps the farmer should open up his fields to the photographers for a small fee. He could probably make more money that way in one day then he would off its use as farmland.

 

It won't be long before we see Amazon adverts for tickets for the site!

 

Trying to book my Grandad a ticket on the Capital Streak. On the website, it says seat availability for 1st class is some/unavailable. Anyone know what this means?

 

Spot on, I think they are already being sold on Ebay.

More worrying though, is that the local game shops are reported to have sold out of shot guns and ammo.