A4 ‘farewell’ trip unlikely

A SPECIFIC ‘farewell’tour to mark the end of A4 No. 60009 Union of South Africa’s main line career now seems unlikely.

To date, no formal plans have been submitted as owner John Cameron was unwilling to commit the locomotive until the satisfactory completion of its proving run on February 4 (see picture, page 62), following the replacement of broken springs.

With the expiry of the A4’s main line certification on April 22, anything proposed for operation before that date will fall well within the accepted 15 week notice period normally required by Network Rail, and be right in the middle of the first of the year’s peak periods for main line charter operations.

Immediately following the test run, the A4 hauled the return leg of the Railwaytouring Company’s‘white Rose’, from York to London, on February 15, followed by a trip from Ealing Broadway to York, via the Midland Main Line, on March 7. With nothing else forthcoming, the A4 Pacific’s last main line run will probably be on March 28, when the engine has been provisionally booked for Rtc’s‘cumbrian Mountain Express’, from Euston via Shap to Carlisle, returning via the Settle-carlisle line.

Gresley enthusiasts will have to await the return of A4 No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley, later in the year – which is currently under overhaul at York. It is to spend the next 10 years with the Crewebased Locomotive Services fleet as part of an agreement between the Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust and the Royal Scot Locomotive & General Trust.

In its final weeks of main line operation, No. 60009 Union of South Africa comes to a stand at Swindon in a lucky blast of sunshine with the 7.09am London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill ‘The Cotswold Venturer’ charter, organised by The Railway Touring Company on February 22. MARK V PIKE