North Eastern Pacifics by Norman E. Preedy (hardback)

North Eastern Pacifics by Norman E. Preedy (hardback).

The London & North Eastern Railway was blessed with a good proportion of Pacific locomotives with which to work its express passenger services and from December 1949, when the last of this type was turned out from Doncaster Works, until 1958, its stud numbered no less than 202. After 1959, when the first diesels came onto the scene in growing numbers, the Pacific were withdrawn, slowly at first but in increasing numbers until 1966, when the last of them was retired.

The actual make up of the 202 Pacifics was 34 Class A4,

78 Class A3, 40 Class A2, and 50 Class A1. Perhaps the best known and most loved of these were the handsome streamlined A4s designed by Nigel Gresley. The first was turned out at Doncaster Works--nicknamed 'The Plant'-in September 1935 and the order completed in 1938.

The LNER and its successors, the Eastern, North Eastern and Scottish Regions of British Railways, was publicity minded and this was shown in the number of named services operated. Such famous trains as 'The Elizabethan', 'The Heart of Midlothian' , 'The Tees-Tyne Pullman' and, best known of all, 'The Flying Scotsman', come to mind. On all these the Pacific were standard power.

The names bestowed on these locomotives were an interesting feature and some became household words.

One batch, based on a selection of wild birds, included the famous A4 No.60022 Mallard, celebrated as the holder of the blue riband of speed with steam--by virtue of its 126mph run in June 1938. Other names carried by the Pacific included those of countries within the Commonwealth, plus names of LNER officials and Chief Mechanical Engineers. The A2 and A3 classes were mostly named after famous race horses and carried