LNER Class A1
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The Class A1 locomotives were introduced in the late 1940s to designs by LNER Chief Mechanical Engineer Arthur Peppercorn. Delivered to BR after nationalisation, forty-nine of these steam locos were built to the 4-6-2 'Pacific' wheel arrangement with 6'8" driving wheels for express passenger services on the East Coast Mainline.
Shed Codes: 64B - HAY - Haymarket, Edinburgh; 64A St Margarets, Edinburgh; 66A - Polmadie, Glasgow; 50A - York.
60163 Tornado arrives at Edinburgh Waverley on railtour 1Z60 from London Kings Cross on 11/06/2013 Photo by PIERSHILL2001
- Five of these locomotives were allocated to the Scottish Region:
- The last of the Darlington built batch, 60152, delivered in apple green livery.
- The final four of the Doncaster built batch 60159-60162, delivered in BR express passenger blue livery.
- Names were applied to the five locomotives in 1951 during works visits.
- 60152 was painted in blue livery at naming, but 60162 was painted BR bruswick green.
- Many of the class based at Gateshead and Heaton also received Scottish themed names.
Scottish Region Class A1 Locomotives - Shed Allocation
Number | New | First Depot | Named | Name | BR Green | Last Depot | Withdrawn | Disposal |
60152 | Jul-49 | HAY / 64B | Jun-51 | HOLYROOD | Nov-52 | (50A) | Jun-65 | Cashmores Great Bridge, 1965 |
60159 | Nov-49 | HAY / 64B | Jul-51 | BONNIE DUNDEE | Nov-52 | 64A | Oct-63 | Inverurie Works, 1964 |
60160 | Dec-49 | HAY / 64B | Mar-51 | AULD REEKIE | Mar-53 | 64A | Dec-63 | Darlington Works 1964 |
60161 | Dec-49 | HAY / 64B | Jun-51 | NORTH BRITISH | Nov-52 | 64A | Oct-63 | Inverurie Works, 1964 |
60162 | Dec-49 | HAY / 64B | Aug-51 | SAINT JOHNSTOUN | Aug-51 | 64A | Oct-63 | Inverurie Works, 1964 |
- In January 1951, three of the class, 60152/160/161 moved west to the former LMS shed at Polmadie, returning to Haymarket in March, but 60160 & 60161 were sent to Polmadie again in September 1951. 60160 returned to Haymarket in February 1952, with 60152 going to Polmadie in December 1952. 60152 & 60161 returned to Haymarket in June 1953. (Ten years later six LNER Class A2 would move from Haymarket to Polmadie.
- When Haymarket MPD closed to steam traction in September 1963, the five locos were reallocated to St. Margarets MPD, however four of the locos were withdrawn by the end of the year.
- Loco 60152 'Holyrood' had been given a general overhaul earlier in 1963 and survived longer. In September 1964 it was reallocated to the Eastern Region at York MPD.
- The last Class A1 in BR service was 60145 'Saint Mungo' (originally a Gateshead loco), although it had lost its nameplates the year before its withdrawal in June 1966.
New Built 60163 Tornado
- 'The Auld Reekie Express' hauled by 60163 from York to Edinburgh on 28th February 2009. The loco and its support coach then ran north to stable at Thornton Depot, until it's return working on 7th March 2009, from Edinburgh to York on the 'North Briton'.
- On September 8, 2015, 60009 'Union of South Africa' and 60163 'Tornado' double headed a 3-coach ECS movement from Tyne Yard to Millerhill Yard as part of preparations for the offical re-opening of the Borders Railway. <Flickr>
Photo Links
- Railphotoprints: Gallery of A1 locos in BR service
- Flickr group - Scottish Steam 1947-1967 - Photos of A1s
- SmugMug - 60160 departs Edinburgh on the Heart of Midlothian, early 1950s
- Rail-online.co.uk - 60159 passing Eastfield MPD, 1952
- Rail-online.co.uk - 60161 at Haymarket MPD, 1952
- SmugMug - 60162 at Eastfield MPD, 05/55
- Railscot - 60126 passing Drem on Queen of Scots Pullman 14/06/58
- Rail-online.co.uk - 60162 leaving Whitrope Tunnel, 1962
- Railscot - 60151 with an ECS move on the Corstorphine branch in April 1964
- Railscot - 60121 near Galashiels in 1964
- Flickr - 60118 at Polmadie MPD, 02/08/1964
- RCTS.zenfolio - 60127 passing portobello Jn 21/08/64
- Flickr - 60129 at St Margarets MPD, 07/65
- Flickr - 60151 at St Margarets MPD, 16/08/65
- Flickr - 60163 on the Tay Bridge, 22/05/2012
- Flickr - 60163 at Stirling, 16/06/2013
- Flickr - 60163 crossing Invershin Viaduct on the FNL
- Flickr - 60163 on Borthwick Bank, 13/09/2015
See Also
- Wikipedia - LNER Peppercorn Class A1
- Wikipedia - 60163 Tornado
- A1Steam.com - 60163 Tornado
- A1Steam.com - The Original A1s (detailed histories of each loco.)
- BR Database - LNER Peppercorn Class A1
- LNER encyclopedia - Peppercorn Class A1
- Preserved British Steam - Peppercorn Class A1
- What Happened to Steam - LNER Pacific locos (Storage & scrapping records).
- Diary of Dundee driver Hoskins - LNER A1 Class