4464's Easter Holiday at York

MALLARD’S ‘SISTER’ MAKES FLYING VISIT



Visitors to the National Railway Museum this week could be forgiven for thinking the Museum’s most famous record breaker has returned to York for a flying visit.



An LNER A4 Class locomotive in Mallard’s characteristic shade of blue is on display in the Museum’s car park from 18-22 April. However the streamlined steam giant attracting rail fans from across the UK, is in fact Mallard’s sister locomotive, the freshly valanced Dominion of New Zealand in its original LNER ‘garter blue’ livery.



Dominion of New Zealand is also appearing in a different guise. The locomotive is actually No.4464 Bittern, previously seen in lined green British Railways livery which has been renamed and numbered to represent her long-lost sister locomotive that was withdrawn from service in 1965.



No. 4492, Dominion of New Zealand was part of a batch of A4s designed to celebrate the coronation of George VI and worked on the “Coronation Service” between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh.



The LNER A4 Pacific Class was designed by engineering legend Sir Nigel Gresley, and seen as a symbol of the 1930’s glory days of luxury steam travel. No. 4468 Mallard holds the world speed record for a steam locomotive at 126 miles per hour.



Steve Davies, Director of the National Railway Museum said:



“The A4s are among the most famous steam locomotives in the world, so this flying visit from Mallard’s ‘sister’ during the Easter holidays is a chance for the rail fan in the family to see something really special. The Museum’s free Easter Japan festival, with live martial arts and music performances is sure to keep the rest of the family entertained.”



Details of visiting locomotives to the National Railway Museum can nopw be found on a new addition to the Museum’s website – a locomotive moves page. Please visit http://www.nrm.org.uk/PlanaVisit/Events/locomotivemoves for details of Dominion of New Zealand’s visit.

 

Back to the future then.

Meic

 

Very good - I only copied and pasted it at colleagues' request...!

 

Quote - "The locomotive is actually No.4462 Bittern,"

I think you may want to correct that bit Anthony.

 

And this bit "celebrate the coronation of George VII"

 

That was quick. Yesterday it was Dominion of New Zealand and now it's Great Snipe. <BJ>

 

Anthony has posted this in another place and it's been accepted in the spirit it was intended, I understood what he was communicating but on Nat.Pres? no no no, lets nitpick, highlight the errors. :frusty:

Thanks Anthony, I'll be visiting.

 

As I said, I simply copied and pasted late last night after a long and at times difficult week (you will hear about it soon enough); I did not check the text. Apologies.

 

Will it be visible on Sunday Anthony?

 

Thanks for letting us know, Anthony - it's much appreciated

 

Thanks Anthony - having just seen off 4492 at KX this morning, she looks terrific and will be quite the star at York, I am sure!

 

can you not keep hold of it for another week!!! coming up on the princess tour, miss it by a few days bugger lol

 

Sorry Anthony but my remark was meant to be light hearted, I forgot the smilies, so no need to apologise.
As for the Stasi on here - pot, kettle, black.

 

I've know you long anough Ian, no apology needed - but I did need to explain to others who might just think I am more of a numpty than I am.

 

Cheers Anthony.

 

Does anyone know what is happening to the loco next Friday? There is no planned railtour until July and if she leaves York soon she must go somewhere. Grosmont perhaps?

 

Does anyone know what has happened with 4492?

I'd like to take a proper look at the loco and as I'm visiting York tomorrow I'd rather hoped it might still be present. I appreciate it was only supposed to on display until last Thursday but I have no evidence of it having left York as yet...

 

She was still at York NRM this afternooon, visible from passing trains, although not on public display. (She is outside on the nearest shed road to the main line, so the furthest from museum visitors!).

Regards

Andrew.

 

Thanks for your reply Andrew.

Its a shame I'm not coming on the train from the north then. I suspect I won't get to see it now until it next ventures out onto the mainline.

Cheers,

Ian