Peppercorn’s A1 is set for centre stage as Great Central’s series continues

ARTHUR Peppercorn’s class of A1 Pacifics will be a major theme in Great Central’s April 2 auction when a nameplate from No. 60151 Midlothian will be joined by the smokebox numberplate and a worksplate from No. 60158 Aberdonian.

No. 60151 was built at Darlington (works No. 2070) in June 1949 – the entire class other than the prototype No. 60113 Great Northern was built by BR – and withdrawn from York (50A) in November 1965.

It will be the first time either of the locomotive’s nameplates has appeared at auction. Fellow class member No. 60158 emerged from Doncaster in November 1949 (works No. 2052) and was taken out of service in December 1964 when allocated to its birthplace, Doncaster (36A). One of the Pacific’s nameplates was due to go under the hammer at Great Central’s previous sale on March 5.

The auction, Great Central’s 13th in its series of monthly 200-lot live online sales, starts at 10am.