The LNER Encyclopedia

Were there any pacific type locomotives that ever went to Fife?

All of the LNER Pacific classes appeared in Fife from the 1920’s onwards.

Think issues around concern re clearance over Forth Rail Bridge, once surmounted good to go.

Recall R D Stephen image/story of A3 and gauging fingers.

Interesting that you'd ask about Pacifics in Fife as I was recently trying to recall some of them I used to see as a trainspotter in Dunfermline in the late 40's to '51 (when my family emigrated to Canada). I've been in trains headed by Pacifics when we'd go to Edinburgh (across the Forth Bridge) or to Dundee. A few Gresley's (my favourites) I can recall are ... Pretty Polly, Spearmint, Humorist, Call Boy and Spion Kop. There were a lot more but the names are fading. I wonder if they were assigned to relatively local sheds because several of them I'd see more frequently ... Spearmint and Spion Kop come to mind. In my latter years I'd see the occasional A4 (Union of South Africa I remember) and of course Thompson Pacifics (meh!). Another frequent sighting was "Impala" a handsome engine I thought but it wasn't a mighty Pacific.

My day would be made if I saw a Gresley Pacific which had the Kylchap dual chimneys and the German style smoke deflectors! Even better if they stopped at our Lower Station to take on water. They'd leave their train and move down the line a bit then back down onto a siding where the water tower was. I used to sit on a high wall right beside it and I'd be at eye level with the driver. It would sit there making a panting sound and I could feel the heat radiating from it and smell the smoke. Then it would slowly roll away before backing down to its train and accelerate away leaving everything in silence again. Childhood heaven.

So YES, there were Pacifics in Fife!

Hello Albergman

Enjoyed your reminiscences about the steam days in Fife. How fortunate you were to see live what most of us just see on old videos. Steam was gone before I was interested in railways but I wish I'd been able to see then in daily operation as you did.

I've been following the development of that new P2 by the A1 Steam Group and I just wondered if you ever saw a P2 since they were definitely used between Edinburgh and Aberdeen. That would have made my day for certain!

Hi Steamfan

I did see a P2 but not at Dunfermline. I'd have to guess when it was, probably in 1946 or 47, but I saw one when we visited my Granny in Dundee . We were on our way home and we descended a flight of stairs in the station and there was an engine sitting by itself against the buffers of a platform. To me, as an 8 or 9 year old, It looked sort of like an A4 but I couldn't find it in my Ian Allen spotters book ... because it was the P2 "Cock 'o the North". Whatever, it was a magnificent looking engine.

Frank

I should suggest that if you wish to chat more we should maybe go offline as I don't want to hijack this posting.