END OF THE LINE FOR ‘NUMBER NINE’
In a statement issued by the East Lancashire Railway on October 5, a spokesman said: “Unfortunately A4 No. 60009 Union of South Africa has formally been removed from service following the discovery of issues with its boiler tubes.
“Given the location of the tubes and the fact that the locomotive has only a short length of time – five months – on its current boiler certificate, a repair is not deemed viable.”
Not only did the streamlinedA4miss the line’s October 15-17 autumn gala, but it will also no longer star in a proposed farewell event at the end of the year – and it seems that the A4 has reached an earlier-than-scheduled end of the line in a notable career with the LNER, British Railways, and John Cameron, the man who saved it from the breaker’s torch.
Many will claim that the Gresley A4s are arguably the most famous of steam locomotive classes – a statement giving rise to knowingly prompted smiles by Swindonians. However, it is true that theA4s gave rival LMS officials a run for their money in a 20th century ‘Race to the North’ as Euston and King’sCross speeded up services to Scotland, the rivalry reaching its climax in the 1930s.
In 1935, the newly-introduced Silver Jubilee service from King’s Cross to Newcastle featured the first A4 No. 2509 hauling specially-designed carriages. The train, commemorating the Silver Jubilee year of
