DUMMY ‘BRITANNIA’ LANDS AT GREAT CENTRAL FOR FILMING
A ‘Britannia’ lookalike arrived at the Great Central Railway in late August for a mysterious filming contract, prompting online speculation that Britannia or Oliver Cromwell had been modified for the job.
Although the locomotive resembles a ‘Brit’ and has been built using ‘7MT’ drawings, the vehicle has been modified to appear as a generic French steam locomotive for a forthcoming film appearance. Featuring details such as a riveted BR Standardpattern tender and AWS box on the running plate, the locomotive was so convincing that rumours swirled among the enthusiast community that it was in fact either Nos. 70000 or 70013 in disguise, especially as Britannia itself has now been withdrawn for overhaul (see Down Main).
Numbered 462.09.M0 and named ‘Le General Rive-Reine’ (complete with ‘King Arthur’style nameplates), the vehicle is complete with working motion but is unpowered, although it reportedly is to be fitted with a diesel engine hidden in the tender, powering three smoke generators, a steam generator and an electric generator. Those close to the locomotive and GCR have signed non-disclosure agreements and all movements took place on non-public running days.
The pseudo-‘Britannia’ has been out on test runs over the GCR with a rake of Mk 3 coaches, accompanied by a diesel. Steam Railway understands the moves were not part of the filming contract itself as the 4-6-2 has since left the railway and been taken to the actual filming location in Norway.