The LNER Encyclopedia

Ok I know I might be over doing it with two posts in two days, but i feel like Ive been looking for this site for years.

A friend of mine recently remarked that on an outing he was quite suprised to see the record holder in peices and being worked on. He is not one of us, and im not to confident of what he tells me. Not having heard anything from anywhere else about this I was wondering if it was true. I also cant remember where he said he was, but im sure it wasn't york.

If this is true would it be anything to do with it being 2008 in just over a year, and she really should be rolling for that.

I think he is confusing it with something else.
Mallard has been snug in the NRM by the main entrance, with its NER dynamometer car.
We'd have heard if they were doing something with it

NRM policy is that it is so popular that it will be kept at the main site. Also there are budget constraints so that they can only keep a limited number of engines in running condition. Personally I think it is extremely unlikely that they will ever have both Mallard and Flying Scotsman in running condition at the same time.

There are five other A4s that survive, so he might have seen one of those.
Union of South Africa is running condition. BR Green with a mainline certificate - ie. it is usually seen on steam specials.

Sir Nigel Gresley has returned to steam in the past few months. If your friend visisted Grosmont (North Yorkshire Moors Railway), then this would be what he saw. BR blue livery.

Bittern is being brought back after a long static absence. It will probably re-enter service next year. This restoration is being performed on the Mid Hants Railway, and is reportedly very thorough - even fixing a BR-era "botched" weld!

The other two A4s are both in North America, in static condition under cover.


Richard

Thanks for the info.

I thought he must have been mistaken. I have been watching bitterns restoration on the midhants site. Very interesting, especially if you are an engineer like myself. I am well aware of unions running, Infact i was up at 6 the other saturday morning to watch her through stevenage.

I will be sure to correct him next week.
Thanks again.

Yep, 4468 is still sat there (as of 15 mins ago) and it is 4472 that is in bits