World Steam Speed Record 75 years on

[Oberon]

Today will mark 75 years since Gresleys A4 Pacific number 4468 'Mallard' broke the World Speed Record for a steam locomotive whilst hauling a special service from Edinburgh to Kings Cross...and then subsequently broke herself. Alas Mallard did not make it all the way to Kings Cross, being taken out of service at Peterborough due to an overheated Big End bearing on the middle cylinder, a weakness on the A4.
However, the damage was minor and she was returned to service and thankfully preserved along with five other A4s which will gather in York for a fortnights reunion, the first time the six surviving A4s have been seen together since the end of steam in Britain.

http://train-photos.com.s3.amazonaws.com/820.jpg

Although I'm not particularly an LNER man, I cannot deny the gracefulness of Gresleys work on the A4s, who have carried his legacy into the 21st century and beyond.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNER_Class_A4

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNER_Class_A4_4468_Mallard

[BossMark]

I've always wanted travel on a steam engine :yep:

[Rhodes]

Nice sleek lines! And yes, I would also like to travel on a steam engine train. When I had microsoft train simulation, I always and only played the flying scotsman missions!

[Jimbuna]

Now that would be a sight to behold...all six remaining A4's together :cool:

Only ever seen Mallard at York.

[Wolferz]

That's one gorgeous locomotive. :up:

[Schroeder]

the first time the six surviving A4s have been seen together since the end of steam in Britain.

So they haven't been seen together for the last two years.:O:

:D

In seriousness steam locomotives definitely have something to them.:rock:

[danasan]

Nice sleek lines! And yes, I would also like to travel on a steam engine train. When I had microsoft train simulation, I always and only played the flying scotsman missions!

So come over here!

There a festival of all kinds of steamers here every year and will start again in a couple of days (July 12. until 14.) ...

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/10801942.jpg (http://www.google.de/search?q=flensburger+dampf+rundum&safe=off&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ZRDUUburNcjmtQaIs4GgAw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=914)

[Herr-Berbunch]

I've seen her at York, but didn't know there were others out there, and definitely not that three still run. :o :yeah:

[STEED]

Stick your rotten trains of today, they are no match to the great days of steam.

[Catfish]

:up:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23137106

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RedToo/media/Steam.png.html

[Oberon]

My favourite bit of film starring the A4:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5kLJdCEgU4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euX65WsaxNk

http://transportsofdelight.smugmug.com/RAILWAYS/BRITISH-STEAM-LOCOMOTIVES/LOCOMOTIVES-OF-BRITISH/i-ncBXWPr/1/L/60034-L.jpg

[Jimbuna]

My favourite bit of film starring the A4:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5kLJdCEgU4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euX65WsaxNk

http://transportsofdelight.smugmug.com/RAILWAYS/BRITISH-STEAM-LOCOMOTIVES/LOCOMOTIVES-OF-BRITISH/i-ncBXWPr/1/L/60034-L.jpg

Mine :03:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNVeGati7lo

[AVGWarhawk]

It is astonishing the stark differences in design between US steam engine and European engines. The cars are exceptionally different as well. Not to mention the gauge of track. The Mallard is a sleek beauty to be sure. :yeah:

[Kptlt. Neuerburg]

I've always liked the looks of the A4's and LMS's Coronation Class. I was disappointed when I didn't see the Mallard at the NRM, so I donated 50 Quid towards the restoration of the 4472 "The Flying Scotsman" instead.:03:

[Oberon]

It is astonishing the stark differences in design between US steam engine and European engines. The cars are exceptionally different as well. Not to mention the gauge of track. The Mallard is a sleek beauty to be sure. :yeah:

I think 9/10s of it is design requirements, in the US engines are needed to take very heavy loads very long distances through very difficult terrain. In the UK, the focus was more on short pick up/drop off freight traffic (Mixed goods and the like) on meandering branch lines with the express engines focused for speed and strength on the main line (as well as company prestige), it was only towards the end of steam that dedicated heavy haulage freight trains began to emerge on British railways (resulting in the creation of the Class 9F, the last steam engines to be built in the UK until Tornado in the 21st century).
That being said, IIRC US and UK gauge is the same, because we did have some US engines around here during the latter stages of WWII and after the war:

http://www.kentrail.org.uk/USA_Tank_Eastleigh.jpg
An S100 class 'switcher' tank engine on the Southern Region sometime in the late 1950s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SR_USA_class

http://www.preserved-railways.co.uk/gallery/Great%20Central%20Railway/Quorn%20and%20Woodhouse%20Station/07243_%20-%205197%202-8-0%20Class%20S160%20Aproaching%20Quorn%20Station%20 Great%20Central%20Railway%2027.07.2002.jpg
Preserved S160 'Consolidation' at the Great Central Railway
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USATC_S160_Class

Here's a video with an S160 and a 9F pulling heavy stone trains:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KybHgO9DruA

[Platapus]

I've always wanted travel on a steam engine :yep:

We went on a dinner train at Strausberg, PA. The engine was a 4-8-0 steamer. It was nice.

[August]

The Mallard sure is a beauty.

But we had some belles of the ball too:
http://www.steamlocomotive.com/streamlined/scrapped/up2906-b.jpg

Streamlined steamers have always been my favorite train locomotives. That Art Deco look from the 20's and 30's just seems to me to be the perfect marriage between function and form.

It looks like it's moving even when it's standing still. Modern high speed rail locos do that too, but these grand old ladies also project an image of raw power and strength that is too well hidden in the modern ones.

IMO of course.

[TarJak]

I agree. Mallard was gorgeous.