The appearance of the Gresley ‘Streak’ was no doubt one of the main attractions for the North Yorkshire moors Railway’s September 22-25 Steam Gala, which attracted more than 6000 visitors. Over six days in the weeks following, No. 4498 was also used on several exclusive round trips, paired up with the LNER Coach Association’s exquisitely restored teak-liveried carriages – aformation reminiscent of the World War Two era, with No. 4498 still in wartime black livery. Though historically accurate locomotive carriage pairings are not uncommon, the appeal of this particular one could arguably have been the pinnacle of offerings, and while the 1937-built locomotive was the literal face of the train in either direction, the stock behind was just as crucial – and is the result of many years’ hard graft by LNERCA volunteers.
Formed in 1979, the group not only set out to obtain, restore, and operate its own fleet of LNER stock, but to also act as an umbrella organisation for members who privately own appropriate LNER and constituent company vehicles to help their projects. Members have made numerous trips to Scotland seeking out grounded bodies on farms to recover spare parts.
Vice-chairman Murray Brown was a founding member. “When we founded
