Steam Locomotives - LNER: Books - History (2/2)

A4 Pacific Locomotives

The 'A4' class of Pacific locomotives, designed by Sir Nigel Gresley for the London & North Eastern Railway in the 1930s, was arguably the most distinctive type of steam locomotive built in Britain. Their streamlined design not only reflected the art deco and modernist style of the era but was also functional, enabling them to travel efficiently at high speeds.

On 3 July 1938 the most famous locomotive in the class, Mallard, broke the world speed record for a steam locomotive, travelling at 126mph (202 km/h). This record has never been broken.
A total of 35 of these beautiful locomotives were built from 1935-38. The efficiency and speed of Gresley's design ensured they continued in top link service into the BR era, particularly London-Edinburgh but also in later years on the hilly Glasgow-Aberdeen route.

In 2013, to mark the 75th anniversary of Mallard's record breaking run, all six surviving A4s were gathered together in the UK for the first time since the 1960s and fittingly Bittern set a new world speed record of 93mph for a preserved steam locomotive.

This is a glorious history of the construction, design and service of the 'A4s' for over 30 years with the LNER and British Railways, and an uplifting account of the career of the six remaining A4s in preservation.

60009 Union of South Africa: Stories from the Support Crew

The recently retired A4 Pacific locomotive No. 60009, known as Union of South Africa, is set to find a new home in a museum. In this illustrated book, the dedicated support crew of this renowned locomotive reflects on their memories and experiences in maintaining its operational prowess for the pleasure of countless railway enthusiasts.

Since its acquisition from British Railways in 1966, these narratives, spanning decades, weave a tapestry of both humorous and solemn accounts. They offer a captivating glimpse into the challenges and endeavors involved in sustaining the operational excellence of this magnificent machine.
Complemented by an array of previously unreleased images, the book serves as a splendid tribute to an exceptional locomotive, encapsulating the essence of its storied history and the efforts invested in preserving its legacy.

Tornado

Officially endorsed by the A1 Steam locomotive trust, "Tornado" is the official account of the building of Britain's first main line steam locomotive for 50 years, how it took a team of volunteers 18 years to raise more than £2-million to build it and its international headline-grabbing debut on the main line, with a royal visit thrown in for good measure.

The book looks at the history of the A1 class and the East Coast Main Line which they were built to run on, the man who designed them, Arthur H Peppercorn, the preservation movement which evolved from a handful of volunteers saving a cash-strapped steam railway in central Wales in 1949 to the point where it could build a main line express passenger locomotive, and how the dream of building Tornado came to fruition stage by stage at Darlington.

The book is lavishly illustrated with both archive and contemporary photographs bringing the story up to date.

Tornado : New Peppercorn Class A1 Manual (2008 onwards) - An insight into the construction, maintenance and operation

This is a Haynes Manual with a difference. Published in association with The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, it explains the construction, operation and maintenance of 60163 Tornado, the new steam locomotive that attracts huge crowds wherever it appears.

Based on the LNER Peppercorn Class A1 design, of which 49 were originally built but eventually all scrapped, Tornado is a magnificent and fully operational replica that is totally faithful to the original Peppercorn A1s in all respects except for modernisation to suit today's safety requirements.

This manual about a unique steam locomotive will fascinate all railway enthusiasts as well as those who appreciate British engineering excellence.