RARE BIRD: MALLARD BREAKS FREE FROM YORK MUSEUM
World’s fastest steam locomotive helps launch LNER’s new ‘Azumas’.
Holder of the world speed record for steam, Mallard, has been deployed by the modernday LNER to promote its new high speed trains.
The National Railway Museum acquiesced to an approach by the East Coast Main Line’s Train Operating Company, which resulted in the Gresley ‘A4’ being displayed in York station for just a matter of hours on July 30.
It was the first time that the 4-6-2, which broke the world record for steam traction on July 3 1938, had been seen outside the NRM since 2014.
Mallard was displayed at the south end of York station alongside one of the new ‘Azumas’, which are replacing InterCity 125s and 225s, as the most high-profile of a series of press events organised by LNER.
The event was only announced on July 28, having been arranged between the NRM, LNER and
DB Cargo, which oversaw the movement of the streamlined locomotive between the two York sites using a pair of Class 66 diesels.
“What better example to inspire us,” asked LNER managing director David Horne during his speech, “than the world record-breaking Mallard locomotive?”
The return publicity ‘Azuma’ run to Darlington was greeted by another of the museum’s Gresley ‘Pacifics’; No. 60103 Flying Scotsman – recognised as steam’s first official 100mph record breaker.
NRM director Judith McNicol said she was “very pleased and honoured that the National Railway Museum is able to play a part in the event today”.
Mallard has made occasional forays from York for special occasions since it last steamed in 1988, but these are rare.
The NRM has already explicitly said that it will not countenance a return to steam in the long term and that the 126mph ‘Streak’ will form part of its ‘fixed’ Great Hall display following its forthcoming redevelopment.
The museum’s assistant director and head curator Andrew McLean told Steam Railway: “There are currently no plans for Mallard to be displayed away from the National Railway Museum before the reopening. We’ll only consider proposals for special anniversaries or significant events, and our primary goal is to display Mallard in the Great Hall – as set out in the operational rail vehicle strategy.”