Mallard Last Steaming

Hi All,

Does anyone know when Mallard was last steamed? I am looking for the Date - I am guessing Summer '88 or Spring '89.

Thanks

 

27th August 1988 was it's last railtour - it stopped for a blow up at Birkett Common on the southbound climb to Ais Gill with a blocked spark arrestor - according to the book: Mallard ad the A4 Class by David McIntosh

 

Apparently the boiler wasn't in very good nick either - did I read somewhere that it used to leak on every run once it was returned to steam?

 

Is there a list of its steamings ? I recall there wasn't many, 26 wasn't it ?
What was the reason for the limit, just protecting the asset or was it not in the best of health or both ?

 

2 from 1988

4468 Mallard Hillhouse Huddersfield RCTS Diamond Jubilee 1928-1988 Mallard '88 Trans Pennine railtour 30/7/88
http://tinyurl.com/og7axvo

&

4468 Mallard with a 'Mallard 88' Tour Bradley Jct Huddersfield 1988
http://tinyurl.com/pxkhe4w


Neil

 

Mallard was given a ticket in 1985 limiting her to a maximum of 30 steamings because the Museum at that time saw no point in authorising the necessary stay replacement work required for a full seven year ticket (despite the fact that this would have been externally funded). That apart the loco and boiler are in excellent condition and in 1988 she was regarded as the best of the three A4s then running.

The "blow up" at Birkett Common on her last run was the only time that I recall her having any steaming problems. It was caused by water carry over on starting from a lengthy signal stop at Low House Crossing which resulted in the spark arrester clogging up. After the blow up at Birkett the loco struggled on to the Long Preston water stop where the spark arrester was cleaned, after which she steamed beautifully. Twenty five years on I still recall the superb climb out of Leeds, curving past Neville Hill, on her final dash home to York. Her fire was dropped for the last time that night.

Hope this is of interest

Peter James

 

Only enough work was done to see it through a limited number of steamings. Mechanically, though Doncaster was supposed to only carry out a minimum amount of work prior to it being put on display after withdrawal, when the work was being carried out at York to prepare the engine for a short ticket it was found that Doncaster had exceeded their remit. So mechanically the engine was in far better shape than expected.
Mind you given the murky nature of the goings on with respect to 4472 the NRM would be best advised to leave 4468 well alone until they have addressed the issues pointed out by Bob Meanley and others.

 

Hypothetically... How much work would it need to steam today. Are we talking refit of boiler, full overhaul etc ? Maybe Peter James can answer - was there any issues with the loco when she was last steamed ?

 

A earlier post pointed out stay replacement is required and, no doubt, other boiler work. Mechanically it might be in reasonable condition but hasn't been used for 25 years so everything needs to be checked. As a high profile museum locomotive it would need the kind of detailed engineering survey and assessment which, according to the NRM reports, probably wasn't carried out when Flying Scotsman was dismantled.

 

And we'd not do it as there are 3 other A4s already doing the business - and more importantly for the punter, visitors expect to see it at York - witness the outcry when it went to Shildon in 2010.

 

Anthony and his colleagues at the NRM have to be right in not contemplating returning Mallard to steam, no matter how good her condition is. If any of you are in York in the next fortnight just compare the cab of Mallard (or either of her two non working sisters) with the three working A4s to see how much they have to be altered to meet modern requirements. Even without air braking she would need TPWS and GSM-R fitting and although the Flaman speed recorder may be considered to be an early form of OTMR the real thing would need to be fitted as well these days. She is just fine as she is in as near origional condition as possible and I am sure that there is no need to change this.

For those of you that enjoy such things I have just come across a log I was given of Mallards last dash from Leeds to York on Sat 27/8/88. Load was 13 coaches for about 490 tons gross and the 12 miles from Micklefield to Copmanthorpe were covered at an average of 72.3 mph with a max of 77.5 before easing for the restriction through Church Fenton followed by 78.5 on the level at Colton. I think it fair to say that she went out in style that evening.

Peter James

 

When I viewed this thread it said there had been 468 viewings - quite fitting I think. Of course now it's 469 or more!

 

I went on Sunday for the great gathering & I heard a nasty rumour about Mallard. It was said that her firebox (water space) was filled with concrete, to stop it from deteriorating. I didn't argue, but I think this is hogwash. It would render the firebox completely unusable, if the decision to re-steam her (100th anniversary ?) was taken.

 

Wouldn't that also mean a massive weight over the pony truck? It would be pretty dumb to do that...

 

Was she only steamed 30 times in total or was she steamed prior to 1985? I rode behind her one sunday and I can't remember quite when it was, but a friend had a spare ticket for a sunday lunch special to Stratford and I was the lucky substitute. I think 4498 was running that day too but quite a lot of alcohol as involved over lunch and the old memeory is hazy

 

Completely untrue - but of course, the enthusiast world is full of rumours and us nasty people at the NRM don't care about trains do we?

 

She steamed first in 1985 then did a number of tours as noted. She did work to Stratford when 4498 ran and I'm sure I have a pic of both at Stratford, somewhere. This may or may not have been the same day that 4472 took a trip there too. Will have to dig out the photos.

 

I have some pictures of Mallard and 4498 at Stratford somewhere too.
If memory serves, they ran two services Marylebone to Stratford on three Sundays, with Mallard taking one and either 4498 or 4472 taking the other. They then swapped trains at Stratford so the passengers either got Mallard on the front going out or coming back.

 

Thanks Anthony....probably have pics myself somewhere....stored with the empties possibly...

 

As others have said, quite unlikely. The boiler could have been given a treatment that NSW locos received to protect them - froliming the boiler. Basically lime coating the waterspace surfaces to prevent corrosion. Of course, nowadays all you need to do is really dry the boiler and put a few bags of silica gel in through the dome to protect it. Or a couple of washout plugs can stay off to allow air to circulate.