Locomotive Class

Class A4

Class A4 Class: Class A4
Type: Steam
Designer: Sir Nigel Gresley
Weight: 167 tons
Purpose: Express Passenger

Information: Class A4 locomotives were introduced in 1935 as part of a modern streamlined train named Silver Jubilee. One member of the class; 4468 Mallard achieved the authenticated world speed record for steam of 126-MPH during 1938.

Details: Class A4 locomotives were designed by Sir Nigel Gresley for the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) and introduced in 1935 to inaugurate a modern stream-lined train, the Silver Jubilee, scheduled to operate between London King’s Cross and Newcastle. A total of 35-locomotives were introduced between 1935 and 1938.
The A4 design was based around the sound principals used for construction of the successful A3 class. Improvements included the use of a higher pressure boiler, larger firebox, and improved steam circuits; all contributing to the ultimate success of the class A4. Externally the A4 was significantly different from the A3’s primarily due to the streamlined casing. This feature probably had little to do with the improved running characteristics and ultimate speed records set by the class. Streamlining did help with aero-dynamics by up-lifting steam away from the drivers vision, a problem inherent with the A3 design and partially rectified in later years by fitting smoke deflectors. Lower streamlining casings were removed during the 1940’s to facilitate maintenance and not replaced.
Initial locomotives were all named with Silver as part of their names in recognition of the services provided for the Silver Jubilee train. After the success of the class was assured on the Silver Jubilee service additional locomotives were built taking on names of various birds and Common-Wealth countries. Some of the locomotives named after less conspicuous birds were later re-named after honoured individuals, such as Sir Nigel Gresley himself.
Mainline steam was abandoned in Britain during the 1960’s. Until 1962 all members of the class were operational with the exception of 4469 Sir Ralph Wedgewood which was destroyed by a wartime bombing raid in 1942. In later years remaining members could be found on various humble non-Top Link services, including hauling of mixed goods trains, mostly in Scotland. The last two members of the class in operation were Bittern 60019 and Kingfisher 60024, both with-drawn in September 1964.
Due to the success and popularity of the class; 6 members were set aside for preservation. Out of the six, two have found homes abroad in museums; one 60010 Dominion of Canada is a static display in her namesake country near Montreal, Quebec and a second 60008 Dwight D. Eisenhower, also a static display is located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA. Speed record holder Mallard herself is currently a static display at the National Railway Museum in York.

John Faulkner

Class A4 Releases (46)

MODEL NO. LIVERY
Class A4 Locomotive - Bittern
Released: 1994 1995
60019 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Commonwealth Of Australia - Commonwealth Collection
Released: 2009
60012 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Dominion of Canada
Released: 1994 1995
60010 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Dominion Of Canada - Commonwealth Collection
Released: 2010
60010 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Dominion Of New Zealand - Commonwealth Collection
Released: 2009
60013 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Falcon
Released: 2008r 2009r 2010r 2011r
4484 L.N.E.R. Blue
Class A4 Locomotive - Golden Eagle
Released: 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
4482 L.N.E.R. Apple Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Golden Fleece
Released: 1999
60030 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Golden Plover
Released: 2001 2002 2004 2005
60031 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Guillemot
Released: 2005 2006
60020 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Herring Gull (DCC Locomotive with Sound)
Released: 2009 2010
4466 L.N.E.R. Blue
Class A4 Locomotive - Kestrel
Released: 2000 2001
4485 L.N.E.R. Blue
Class A4 Locomotive - Kingfisher
Released: 2001
60024 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Mallard 60022 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Mallard
Released: 1970w 1971w 1972w
60022 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Mallard 4468 L.N.E.R. Blue
Class A4 Locomotive - Mallard
Released: 2008r 2009r 2010r 2011r
60022 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Mallard - 70th Anniversary Gold - Limited Edition
Released: 2008 2009
4468 L.N.E.R. Blue
Class A4 Locomotive - Merlin
Released: 2011
60027 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Pride Of India - Commonwealth Collection
Released: 2011
60011 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Seagull
Released: 1981 1982
4902 L.N.E.R. Blue
Class A4 Locomotive - Silver Fox
Released: 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
2512 L.N.E.R. Silver & Grey
Class A4 Locomotive - Silver Fox
Released: 2002
60017 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Silver Link
Released: 1990 1991 1992 1993
2509 L.N.E.R. Silver & Grey
Class A4 Locomotive - Silver Link - 75th Anniversary
Released: 2011
2509 L.N.E.R. Silver & Grey
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Charles Newton
Released: 2004 2005 2006 2007
4901 L.N.E.R. Black
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Nigel Gresley
Released: 1970w 1971w 1972w
7 L.N.E.R. Blue
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Nigel Gresley
Released: 1987 1988
4498 L.N.E.R. Blue
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Nigel Gresley - 70 Years Of Hornby - 1938 - 2008 - Limited Ediiton
Released: 2008
4498 L.N.E.R. Blue
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Ralph Wedgwood 1939-1942
Released: 1994
4469 L.N.E.R. Blue
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Ralph Wedgwood 1945-1947
Released: 1994
4466 L.N.E.R. Black
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Ralph Wedgwood 1962-1965
Released: 1994
60006 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Ronald Matthews (DCC Locomotive with Sound)
Released: 2010
60001 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Ronald Matthews (Royal Doulton)
Released: 1996
1 L.N.E.R. Blue
Class A4 Locomotive - Sparrow Hawk
Released: 2008
60029 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Sparrow Hawk (DCC Locomotive with Sound)
Released: 2011
60018 B.R. Blue (Steam)
Class A4 Locomotive - Union Of South Africa - Commonwealth Collection
Released: 2010
60009 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Walter K. Whigham
Released: 1995
60028 B.R. Blue (Steam)
Class A4 Locomotive - Wild Swan
Released: 1996 1997
60021 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Wild Swan
Released: 2007 2008
60021 B.R. Green
Class A4 Locomotive - Woodcock
Released: 2006 2007 2008
60029 B.R. Green
Heart Of Midlothian (Class A4 - Guillemot)
Released: 1997
60020 B.R. Green
Rare Bird Train Pack (Class A4 - Kingfisher) - Barry J. Freeman Collection
Released: 2010 2011
60024 B.R. Blue (Steam)
The Flying Scotsman (Class A4 - Silver Link)
Released: 1999
60014 B.R. Green
The Northumbrian (Class A4 - Andrew K. McCosh)
Released: 2005
60003 B.R. Green
The Royal Scot (A4 Class - Lord Faringdon)
Released: 2000
60034 B.R. Blue (Steam)

Class A4 Images (46)

Class A4 Locomotive - Bittern
Class A4 Locomotive - Bittern 60019

Class A4 Locomotive - Commonwealth Of Australia - Commonwealth Collection
Class A4 Locomotive - Commonwealth Of Australia - Commonwealth Collection 60012

Class A4 Locomotive - Dominion of Canada
Class A4 Locomotive - Dominion of Canada 60010

Class A4 Locomotive - Dominion Of Canada - Commonwealth Collection
Class A4 Locomotive - Dominion Of Canada - Commonwealth Collection 60010

Class A4 Locomotive - Dominion Of New Zealand - Commonwealth Collection
Class A4 Locomotive - Dominion Of New Zealand - Commonwealth Collection 60013

Class A4 Locomotive - Falcon
Class A4 Locomotive - Falcon 4484

Class A4 Locomotive - Golden Eagle
Class A4 Locomotive - Golden Eagle 4482

Class A4 Locomotive - Golden Fleece
Class A4 Locomotive - Golden Fleece 60030

Class A4 Locomotive - Golden Plover
Class A4 Locomotive - Golden Plover 60031

Class A4 Locomotive - Guillemot
Class A4 Locomotive - Guillemot 60020

Class A4 Locomotive - Herring Gull (DCC Locomotive with Sound)
Class A4 Locomotive - Herring Gull (DCC Locomotive with Sound) 4466

Class A4 Locomotive - Kestrel
Class A4 Locomotive - Kestrel 4485

Class A4 Locomotive - Kingfisher
Class A4 Locomotive - Kingfisher 60024

Class A4 Locomotive - Mallard
Class A4 Locomotive - Mallard 60022

Class A4 Locomotive - Mallard
Class A4 Locomotive - Mallard 60022

Class A4 Locomotive - Mallard
Class A4 Locomotive - Mallard 4468

Class A4 Locomotive - Mallard
Class A4 Locomotive - Mallard 60022

Class A4 Locomotive - Mallard - 70th Anniversary Gold - Limited Edition
Class A4 Locomotive - Mallard - 70th Anniversary Gold - Limited Edition 4468

Class A4 Locomotive - Merlin
Class A4 Locomotive - Merlin 60027

Class A4 Locomotive - Pride Of India - Commonwealth Collection
Class A4 Locomotive - Pride Of India - Commonwealth Collection 60011

Class A4 Locomotive - Seagull
Class A4 Locomotive - Seagull 4902

Class A4 Locomotive - Silver Fox
Class A4 Locomotive - Silver Fox 2512

Class A4 Locomotive - Silver Fox
Class A4 Locomotive - Silver Fox 60017

Class A4 Locomotive - Silver Link
Class A4 Locomotive - Silver Link 2509

Class A4 Locomotive - Silver Link - 75th Anniversary
Class A4 Locomotive - Silver Link - 75th Anniversary 2509

Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Charles Newton
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Charles Newton 4901

Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Nigel Gresley
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Nigel Gresley 7

Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Nigel Gresley
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Nigel Gresley 4498

Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Nigel Gresley - 70 Years Of Hornby - 1938 - 2008 - Limited Ediiton
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Nigel Gresley - 70 Years Of Hornby - 1938 - 2008 - Limited Ediiton 4498

Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Ralph Wedgwood 1939-1942
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Ralph Wedgwood 1939-1942 4469

Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Ralph Wedgwood 1945-1947
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Ralph Wedgwood 1945-1947 4466

Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Ralph Wedgwood 1962-1965
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Ralph Wedgwood 1962-1965 60006

Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Ronald Matthews (DCC Locomotive with Sound)
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Ronald Matthews (DCC Locomotive with Sound) 60001

Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Ronald Matthews (Royal Doulton)
Class A4 Locomotive - Sir Ronald Matthews (Royal Doulton) 1

Class A4 Locomotive - Sparrow Hawk
Class A4 Locomotive - Sparrow Hawk 60029

Class A4 Locomotive - Sparrow Hawk (DCC Locomotive with Sound)
Class A4 Locomotive - Sparrow Hawk (DCC Locomotive with Sound) 60018

Class A4 Locomotive - Union Of South Africa - Commonwealth Collection
Class A4 Locomotive - Union Of South Africa - Commonwealth Collection 60009

Class A4 Locomotive - Walter K. Whigham
Class A4 Locomotive - Walter K. Whigham 60028

Class A4 Locomotive - Wild Swan
Class A4 Locomotive - Wild Swan 60021

Class A4 Locomotive - Wild Swan
Class A4 Locomotive - Wild Swan 60021

Class A4 Locomotive - Woodcock
Class A4 Locomotive - Woodcock 60029

Heart Of Midlothian (Class A4 - Guillemot)
Heart Of Midlothian (Class A4 - Guillemot) 60020

Rare Bird Train Pack (Class A4 - Kingfisher)  - Barry J. Freeman Collection
Rare Bird Train Pack (Class A4 - Kingfisher) - Barry J. Freeman Collection 60024

The Flying Scotsman (Class A4 - Silver Link)
The Flying Scotsman (Class A4 - Silver Link) 60014

The Northumbrian (Class A4 - Andrew K. McCosh)
The Northumbrian (Class A4 - Andrew K. McCosh) 60003

The Royal Scot (A4 Class - Lord Faringdon)
The Royal Scot (A4 Class - Lord Faringdon) 60034


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