Bittern's plaque?

[60800]

Anyone know anything about the plaque on Bittern's boiler casing? ie; where it came from and why it dosen't have it now.

Looks to me like she's wearing garter blue?

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

Yes, Bittern is wearing Garter Blue and obviously on the main line so the piccie is circa 1968ish at a guess. The plaque? Can't help you there but it was removed when she went silver.

[60800]

I think it's from 1971. As far as I was aware, her current boiler ticket was her first in preservation
Shows how much I know

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

You're right as to this one being her first "ticket" in preservation. Like so many early locos, she did her first runs on the remaining time on the BR ticket.

And of course it was '71. In '68 she was still BR green! Idiot...

[60800]

When was her last Br overhaul then? must have been around 63/64. Seems a bit of a waste of Br money to me
(Bittern's never been my favourite, I only like her becasue Mr Roland Kennington put her in the coronation livery. I must admit I wasn't overly surprised when it failed before the NYMR Autumn gala. Now there's currently no running A4's )

[Marvin]

I've wondered about that plaque myself. There are quite a few pictures of Bittern as LNER No19 where the plaque is visable, but I've yet to see one good enough to see what's on it. I do note that Kingfisher had a similar plaque when in service - could it be the same plaque, and hence was removed from Bittern because it should never have been there in the first place?

[Dave]

It's a picture of a Bittern

[60800]

What's the point of it then?

There's was a point in 60017's plaque, 60009's, 60007's, 60022's and 60027. But what about 60019?

If anyone's a bit in the dark about it, 60017's silver fox plaque was cast by some company which had a connection with the LNER (can't remember what though ), 60009's is a Springbok, gifted by South Africa to her, 60007's is for the post war speed record, 60022's is for the pre-war speed record and 60027's had something to do with the navy as fas as I'm aware.

[Dave]

The point of it .... it is a picture of the bird Bittern is named after. I understand Geoff Drury who owned the loco at the time had it fixed (but I could and will be wrong on this). I saw it in 1972 in LNER blue and it was on the side then.

[Marvin]

Well as I said, I've seen it in a lot of photos but never seen any explaination for it. Since the plaque seemed to appear in early preservation and has disappeared again subsequently, your explaination could well be right. Probably Geoff Drury just liked the plaques on other A4s and wanted something similar for his. I guess it wasn't put back the last time Bittern ran under its own name because people try to make their locos look more authentic these days (it's also possible that the plaque got lost anyway!)

Don't suppose you took any pics, Dave?

[Dave]

Marvin

I have a shot of the plaque when Bittern went to Scarborough, I will look it out and scan it.

[harvester]

60017's "Silver Fox" was provided by Samuel Fox and Co, Stocksbridge, Yorkshire. At one time the countries if not the worlds leaders in stainless steel .I also think they provided tender lettering in stainless

[60800]

I gathered it was something to do with stainless steel lettering.

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

Silver Fox had the standard transfer lettering and numbering while silver. I can't swear to this in blue but...

However, Samuel Fox did provide stainless steel handrails and boiler bands. Both were subsequently painted over.

[60800]

Both were subsequently painted over.

That's about as rude as re-icing a cake..... I've seen it happen twice, and neither ended well.