Come back on Tuesday next week for our next episode, when Bob explores the intriguing interior of the dynamometer car that recorded Mallard's top-speed run.
As a young boy in 1963 i was train spotting on Worksop station, the Mallard arrived and i got talking to the driver and fireman, i had the privilege to ride with them in the cab to Retford station, i will always remember that day. Wonderful memory's.
Could have been my Great Grandfather. He was a tall stocky Nottinghamshire man who drove the Mallard around that time. Probably in his fifties by then he died in 1970 aged about 65.
My father took me to an abandoned railyard near where he once lived in Indiana: as a child i was shocked at the scale of everything but i had never seen a roundhouse with a turntable before just trains on urban tracks zooming back and forth, first one direction then the other, wafting the smell of creosote. But i must admit to a older affection for street cars like in Christchurch City Square around that poor old Cathedral; being little like the streamlined Mallard.
Just had an argument with husband about the fastest steam train. I said Mallard and he said, "I don't know what it's called, but it was a really weird looking steam train. "Yes, Mallard", says I. He wouldn't have it. And here we are... A truly fascinating exploration of an amazing machine. We are going to visit her and the other museums this year as a result. I am old enough to have seen her in her working days. Thank you for this wistful trip down memory lane. Delightful.
My great grandfather, a Clarence Fletcher drove the Mallard and the Flying Scotsman's. Whilst I have never really been into trains, its quite amazing to think he would have sat in that chair and drove this train 60+ years ago. He was from a village near Retford, Nottinghamshire and left to work on the Railway at Doncaster. By all accounts he loved the railway and being a driver was his dream. I think he used to drive down to London too. He died in 1970, a decade before I was born so never met him. His son, my grandfather died on the Mallard Ward in Doncaster Hospital 2 years ago. My middle child is currently obsessed with trains and quite proud that her great great grandfather was a train driver. I am hoping to take her to visit the Mallard sometime but we live in South Wales now, a long way away.
The Mallard was pulling a train me and my brother and mother were taking from Kings cross to Newcastle one summer in the 1950s. In those days the station was filled with steam engines and that smell of those monsters was something that slowly disappeared over the march of time. Some might say they were smelly, dirty and noisy machines but us kids loved them. Now I enjoy the clean and tidy AND quiet trains we have these days.
The "thumb print" is quite ingenious. Many other locomotives required smoke deflectors to direct the smoke upwards, but those caused additional drag. The A4 is coming close to an ideal streamlined shape so many of today's trains have a similarly shaped front end.
Beautiful machine. Our indian semi high speed train vande bharat with electric traction is struggling to touch 160 kmph in 2023 , the mallard did 126 mph 70 yrs back. Enough said.
It's just a fantastically beautiful loco. Such a shame it can't operate on the tracks, just imagine standing on a platform and having this roar past ...
Mallard may be on static display but some of her A4 sisters do still operate. A4 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley just completed overhaul and is expected to return to the main line early next year
Hello. I greet you from Argentina. It is very interesting to see how the railway equipment that has made history is preserved and preserved in your country. I had the opportunity to visit your museum and it is a wonderful work. I congratulate each of the people who work there preserving the history of the most important vehicle of culture that the world had: the railroad. As I do not speak or write your language, I have used Google Translate to send this comment.
Spencer's twin brother. It's a shame they never showed him in the Thomas and Friends model or CGI series. Would've loved to see him and Spencer racing side-by-side or interacting with the other engines, especially Gordon and the Flying Scotsman.
This guy has my dream job. He knows a lot of special secrets and stories about everything in the museum...and you've given him a camera to show and tell all of us! Really enjoyed this video, I learned something new and love hearing about unique locomotives and their unique histories. Cheers!
Mallard is pretty much my favourite steam train of the lot. It has a beautiful design with a gorgeous livery and an interesting history and a grand achievement to its name.
My parents went to the NRM in either 1996 or 1998 (can't remember exactly), and Mum has since had a soft spot for the A4 class, even keeping a good 'roster shot' of Mallard in a photo album. I've also got a Hornby model of Mallard in garter blue.
@@NatRailwayMuseum what kind of fire shovel is that? I brought a fire shovel back in 2011 for 40 pounds as i was then a member of the Watercress line. the guy i brought it off said it was a type used by the Great Western railway on their main line engines.
Mallard is such a beautiful locomotive! please please tell me she’ll be restored to running condition someday again please? I know that she would require a heavy overhaul and a Lot money but it would be so worth it!
I saw mallard coming into Grantham a few years back. Not under its own steam but kinda amazing seeing it come back to where it crashed years ago. Went to the exhibit outside the station and got to stand in the engine. It is an absolute beauty
This is my favourite train EVER. I love the thumb print tale, I wonder who's thumb it was? And did they know and fess up ?Can't wait to get up to York for a visit very soon now, weather is warming up. I can't wait ❤🚂🚃🚄🚅🚆🚇🚈🚉🚊🚝 Choo Choo
What's lovely is when your visit you can actually touch the engine. Don't ask me why but you just *have* to touch it. There is something about these that is more than just a machine. No, I'm not a train fanatic, but these engines have a presence that's hard to describe.
The driver was 61?! That's as notable as the record. Alco in the US apparently licensed the Gresley 3-cylinder concept and built a number of engines with it. The shops really hated it and it ended up causing a lot of trouble, so most of them were eventually bypassed.
No not really, the driver would have started off at 14 or 15 years of age as a cleaner, onto passed cleaner (sometimes acting as a Fireman), then Fireman and at a later stage becoming a driver. Each stage of progression would involve both written and practical exams.
Added a day to my stay in York in 2018 to see the Museum. Of course Mallard was among the highlights. I was in England for only 2 weeks but it was worthwhile.
Should I feel guilty or bad for missing the Mallard A4 anniversary events in 2013 and 2014 because of a lot of family and job commitments, my graduation 👨🎓 in Southampton and a art exhibition in London and I live too far away from York and Durham? I do not visit York every year! I had to build up money and visited Montreal Canada 🇨🇦 to see 4489 Dominion and visited Green Bay via Chicago in the USA 🇺🇸 to see 60008 Dwight D Eisenhower. I never seen them in 13 and 14!.
I was at the museum just a week before this video was published! This video answers so many of the questions I had when I saw this beautiful locomotive in person! Highly recommend visiting the museum if you're ever in York! Thanks!
Sir Nigel Gresley is said to have named the locomotive after the ducks in the moat of his house, Salisbury Hall, London Colney, Hertfordshire, where he lived in the 1930s. In October 1939, the house was used by the de Havilland Aircraft Company to design the DH.98 Mosquito in secret. The first prototype (W4050) flew from there in November 1940.
I remember reading about Mallard, as a kid growing up in the 1950's. Visited the Museum from Australia in 1983 and made a point of looking for the Mallard. But when I went into the display hall, there was the Mallard in hundreds of bits, having an overhaul! It was ok though, as I got to see right inside this famous locomotive that maybe not many people have had the same opportunity.
There will always be debate about Mallard's record, with German and US claims of faster locos. The problem is that criteria for speed records weren't as clear and fixed as they are now. According to what I've read, reports about the S1 cannot be traced back to actually speed official measurements. This doesn't mean she wasn't faster, it's just that the evidence isn't clear. The Germans achieved a slightly lower top speed with their class 05 loco, but on level track. My impression is that, based on criteria at the time, Mallard's record was a valid one, but it wouldn't have received that record under current criteria.
I'm happy you came to York and also go to the railway museum the one good thing was you saw Mallard 🚧 I hope you enjoyed your time and you were in the UK.
My grandad would have passed that going the other way. He was born in 1900 and started with the railways at 14 ish, ended up as a driver based in York, went up to Edinbrough? and maybe as far south as Grantham. Mum said he shoveled 5 tons of coal each shift as a fireman. They started as cleaner, progressed to fireman then driver. He died at the age of 48. He even got his train machine gunned by the germans.
Apparently driver Duddington was chosen because he would take a risk, a bit cavalier even, and he damaged the works, something in the middle cylinder or crank went wrong during the run. Nevertheless the run stands as it should. The Germans had a run too near enough to Mallard, but it still doesn't count. As for the US locomotive that allegedly ran at circa 150mph, that was never ratified, and the loco wasn't making an official attempt... I was on a cruise recently and got talking to an old chap as we were waiting to enter for dinner, who it turned out was an engine driver, and he was proud to say he drove Mallard occasionally during his normal driving work. He didn't make a big deal out it, it was just daily work to him. I felt privileged to have met and chatted to this unassuming man...
Duddington was not responsible for the inside big-end issue; that was due to valve overtravel from the Gresley conjugating gear. (Which apparently was fixed long before BR days, once it was recognized as a concern). If I recall correctly, Duddington thought he could have gotten 130mph out of the locomotive if given a little more time...
@@wizlish Interesting commentary Wiz. Perhaps Mallard was capable of more, but surely at that speed it must have been approaching the limit of all that reciprocating mass? Dunno, I'm not an engineer. Must have been exciting at the time though. We invented the bloody things, so it's somehow fitting that we should produce the fastest. I sometimes wonder how much further steam traction would have advanced had the technology been allowed to really mature...
If you want the future of high-speed steam traction after the early Forties (in a world with no war, and no ruinous shortages and then factor-cost increases) look to the follow-ones of "That Other Railroad's" Turbomotive. Application of the Westinghouse planetary transmission (for PRR S2-style direct-drive turbine locomotives, patented in 1948) and the use of magnetorheological clutching (which became practical at almost the same time) and you have an engine that can make power almost independent of cyclic rpm concerns. Or balance two S2-style impulse-follows-by-reaction stages across a common driving pinion, LP plena outboard, and even within the constraints of the British loading gage you'll have all the power and speed you could want. (I remain miserable that Alan Fozard's Turbomotive 2 was stillborn; it still remains head and shoulders the "British" answer to a putative T1 'speed record attempt'...)
I used to work at Essendine about 50 metres from the railway when the HSTs started going through. Very impressive watching them speed down to Peterborough.
9:15 He says "We're very privileged that people are still prepared to go out and drive these big machines at speed on the main line." What he said is very true, but it sounds like he's saying theres a shortage of people would be prepared to do this work. I bet there are hundreds if not thousands who would give their right arm to have that privilege. To be able to drive or coal an A4 on the mainline! Thats the dream of any railway enthusiast!
Yes, but do you have The Knowledge -- including the knowledge when even a little faster develops resonance at a critical speed? There are no aids like those on Buran or STS to help you run it, and increasing pitfalls above... well, about 100mph. Remember that even to touch 125mph you need twice the drawbar horsepower as to get to 100mph... with many of the additional train resistances increasing geometrically over that range.
0:06 I've Been To The National Railway Museum In York In Yorkshire Back In May 2018 And Reunite The LNER A4 Pacific Main Line Express Locomotive No. 4468 Mallard And It Was Super Awesome And It Was A Bit Like Flying Scotsman. X
I'm old enough to have seen this engine run in service. It was a frequent visitor at Doncaster stopping before moving on to Edinburgh (or London Kings Cross).....The colour was BR green and the wheel covers had been removed but it was the same engine. A distinctive whistle to tell you it was a "streak" and close up when it stopped you could feel the enormous power when it breathed......the driver wore goggles and the noise when it slide off into movement made you put your fingers in your ears. So glad they preserved it......
No it isn't; mutual deformation creates an oval with the major axis transverse, with effective bearing area about that of a U.S. dime for a driver at Mallard's adhesive weight.
As a Dane I visited this Railway Museum many years ago, after having seen my former direct ancestors small museum in York! But close to my by then home in Denmark we had the longest bridge in Europe, built by the English Firm "Dorman and Long": "Storstrømsbroen" from 1937 which is 3,2 km long (It is to be replaced in a few years, so it has done its job well, though now mostly only being a raiway bridge + some local traffic). But in the early sixties I saw a Danish built steam locomotive going up the slope to the bridge with - 120 railway wagons behind it. It was absolutely red hot in the visible bottom, and of course puffed a lot of smoke going up the hill.
But I ask myself what is with the Br05? was it possible faster? The two locomotives have near the exact topspeed but the mallard was going down hill at the start can you say something about that?
A potential problem is the fibbing. The actual dynamometer trace indicates the '126.1' for a ridiculously short interval, and the momentary acceleration charged to reach that is unlikely to be from anything other than a surge artifact. Gresley himself only accepted 125 and a fraction as the 'best' speed -- which is still good enough for fair history. It is quite possible that the BR05 'could' have gone faster still. But there is no record that that was done. Alfred Bruce of Alco said he had seen Milwaukee A locomotives operate at 128mph more than once, but without a dynamometer trace that remains only an invitation to see a replica built to demonstrate it.
@@wizlishI would also note that this was on British lines. Mallard was running close to the design limit of a lot of our current main lines. Is it the fastest engine that could be designed? No. Is it the fastest engine that ever was? Almost certainly
Love the video, very informative and an eye opener. Just love it in blue but I believe that they did do it in other colours; is this true? Started to do a rail model layout in my refurbished shed at the age of 61 and my wife and I think that a Blue Mallard is a definite requirement when we can afford it. What carriages, and colours, did the Mallard pull, or which was it renowned to pull ?? Would love to get this right for when we buy one. Kindest regards and thanks, Richard Clowes
Hi Richard, you're correct in that the A4s had a lot of different liveries over time. The most classic look for Mallard would be in Garter blue, as it's preserved, and hauling LNER teak coaches. However, there are a lot of other options to choose from, so I'll try and give you an overview so you can pick for yourself! -1935: Silver and grey The first four A4s were build for the "Silver Jubilee" train from London to Newcastle in 1935. These were all painted in silver and grey, and had silver themed names (Silver Link, Quicksilver, Silver King and Silver Fox). None of these were preserved, but Bittern was painted to look like Silver Link in the 1980s and 90s so there are quite a few photos of this. The train also had special, steel, streamlined and articulated coaches. These were painted silver and grey to match. The trains hauled 7 coaches, made up of two double coach sets and one triple coach set with a restaurant. Note: if you google "LNER articulated coaches" you'll see pictures of smaller, teak sets used for commuter lines. Search for "Silver jubilee coaches" instead to see what these looked like. -1936: Apple green The next five A4s were painted in LNERs standard apple green (aka Doncaster green) livery. This only lasted a year and no preserved locomotives have this livery. In general service the A4s would have hauled the standard LNER 60ft "Teak" coaches (they were actually made of steel, but painted with a wood effect to match LNERs older coaches) -1937: Garter blue In 1937 LNER launched "The Coronation" train between London and Edinburgh, and had five A4s made with a new Garter Blue livery with red wheels (Union of South Africa, Dominion of Canada, Empire of India, Commonwealth of Australia, and Dominion of New Zealand). In the end they liked this livery so much they made it standard for all the A4s! Mallard, Bittern and Dominion of Canada are all preserved with this livery. The train had special coaches, like that of the Silver Jubilee. These were painted blue and white. Each train had eight coaches using four double coach articulated sets, and in summer also had a special streamlined observation car attached at the back. Both of these observation cars have been preserved. One of them is in BR maroon with a rebuilt, less streamlined shape, and the other has just been rebuilt into its original form with the blue and white colour scheme. -1942: Austerity black During WW2 the A4s were all repainted black due to austerity measures and the streamlined cowling over the wheels was removed to ease maintenance. Although they were repainted Garter blue after the war, the cowlings were never added back on. -1948: BR Express blue After nationalisation the A4s were painted in BR express blue (slightly darker than garter blue) with white lining. A4 Sir Nigel Gresley has been preserved in this colour. -1951: BR Brunswick green The final livery used on the A4s was the standard BR express livery of Brunswick green with orange and black lining. Union of South Africa and Dwight D. Eisenhower have been preserved in this colour. In terms of BR coaches, they were first painted in crimson and cream (aka "blood and custard") and then all maroon from the mid 1950s onwards. However, this took some time, and there were still some teak coaches hanging around at the end of the 1950s! Overall, I'd say the most famous look would be Mallard in Garter blue with teak LNER coaches. If I could I would love to have a full set of the Coronation coaches and the observation car, but I don't think any prebuilt models exist and sadly I have neither the time to build them or the space to run a 9-coach train! Hope you enjoy building your layout, and have fun looking at photos of A4s inn lots of different colours!
In my (admittedly American) opinion, the engine should be preserved in exactly the state it was in beginning the record run in 1938. Which I believe was in the original green livery.
Intercity 125: “bruh, I’m so fast” Mallard: *”Will you shut the bloody hell up?”* Intercity 125: “whatcha gonna do?” Mallard: *”MY DYNAMOMETER CAR WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THAT WITH YOU”* Intercity 125: “……….”
The house Gresley was staying in was Salisbury Hall, which is also where the De Havilland Mosquito was designed. Two of the most beautiful machines in history, both noted for prodigious speed.
I believe many steam enthusiasts would enjoy a video of how the Pacific A4 three-cylinder system worked. With my three-cylinder lawn mower, English motorcycle, and the Japanese motorcar I purchased for my wife, I am, perhaps biased.
Walker with the Kubota diesel? Had one too and loved it... but it did not have the charmingly irregular exhaust of so many of the Gresley three-cylinder engines...
I seriously do personally just suddenly feel quite pleased to happily mention that this officially well-known L N E R class A4 Pacific type of steam-driven railway tender locomotive designed by the famously well-known Sir Herbert Nigel Gresley himself in Doncaster during the official 193Os(1938) respectfully known as Mallard certainly happens to be very shockingly surprisingly featured in the officially well-known Train Sim app featured on my own official tablet that Scott gave me awhile back!
It's sitting in York so I'm happy that it was recognised to have been built in Doncaster where I used to work with the LNER in the 1950/60s. Lots of famous locomotives came from my workplace.
Did you know of a Clarence Fletcher by chance? He worked in Doncaster Railway and was a driver probably during the 1930's-1950's/60's. Apparently drove the Mallard and Flying Scotsman's (amongst others I am sure). He was my great grandfather, died in 1970 a decade before I was born.
Many A4’s regularly ran well past 100 mph. Other British loco’s did too such as as the A1, A3, and Stanier Duchess. Not forgetting Truro that exceeded 100 mph in 1903.
Remember my dad for a pack of ciggies each stood on her footplate I think she was green then , was allowed the Whistle at Kings Cross, was staggered to see a singer from Bristol to London £80 these days thanks again Maggie !
You wouldn't need to go to the gym after stoking the firebox in this loco all the way from king's cross to edinburgh. And it must've been a real sense of power driving it back in 1938.
I always wondered if she was serviced like Scotsman, what speed she or Bittern (when she's serviced) could record pulling just the tender. But I also wonder if Jeremy Hosking or any rail authority/body would simply never let Bittern be pushed that hard again.
Love those streamlined locomotives. While Mallard has the world record. Thought that i had read somewhere that the Duchess's were more powerful. Matters not, both are representative of a golden age of the railways.
Different railways built engines differently as different requirements. Duchess had to get over snap, GWR Kings needs to get over the south Devon bank’s. These required power but not necessarily deliver speed. A4 like greyhound. Light and sleek built for speed but won’t necessarily pull as much weight of train. Fastest scheduled train service was GWR Bristolian and that’s fastest recorded run over Brunei’s billiard table was set by a castle rather then a king even though less powerful on paper.
Come back on Tuesday next week for our next episode, when Bob explores the intriguing interior of the dynamometer car that recorded Mallard's top-speed run.
Got a question mr NRM, is it true that mallard has concrete on some of its interior to prevent key points from cracking?
No, not true at all
As a young boy in 1963 i was train spotting on Worksop station, the Mallard arrived and i got talking to the driver and fireman, i had the privilege to ride with them in the cab to Retford station, i will always remember that day. Wonderful memory's.
That’s a hell of a memory
Could have been my Great Grandfather. He was a tall stocky Nottinghamshire man who drove the Mallard around that time. Probably in his fifties by then he died in 1970 aged about 65.
Memories*
My father took me to an abandoned railyard near where he once lived in Indiana: as a child i was shocked at the scale of everything but i had never seen a roundhouse with a turntable before just trains on urban tracks zooming back and forth, first one direction then the other, wafting the smell of creosote. But i must admit to a older affection for street cars like in Christchurch City Square around that poor old Cathedral; being little like the streamlined Mallard.
My parents lived further up from the station
on Gateford Road.
Just had an argument with husband about the fastest steam train. I said Mallard and he said, "I don't know what it's called, but it was a really weird looking steam train. "Yes, Mallard", says I.
He wouldn't have it.
And here we are...
A truly fascinating exploration of an amazing machine.
We are going to visit her and the other museums this year as a result.
I am old enough to have seen her in her working days.
Thank you for this wistful trip down memory lane.
Delightful.
My great grandfather, a Clarence Fletcher drove the Mallard and the Flying Scotsman's. Whilst I have never really been into trains, its quite amazing to think he would have sat in that chair and drove this train 60+ years ago. He was from a village near Retford, Nottinghamshire and left to work on the Railway at Doncaster. By all accounts he loved the railway and being a driver was his dream. I think he used to drive down to London too. He died in 1970, a decade before I was born so never met him. His son, my grandfather died on the Mallard Ward in Doncaster Hospital 2 years ago. My middle child is currently obsessed with trains and quite proud that her great great grandfather was a train driver. I am hoping to take her to visit the Mallard sometime but we live in South Wales now, a long way away.
The Mallard was pulling a train me and my brother and mother were taking from Kings cross to Newcastle one summer in the 1950s. In those days the station was filled with steam engines and that smell of those monsters was something that slowly disappeared over the march of time. Some might say they were smelly, dirty and noisy machines but us kids loved them. Now I enjoy the clean and tidy AND quiet trains we have these days.
The "thumb print" is quite ingenious. Many other locomotives required smoke deflectors to direct the smoke upwards, but those caused additional drag. The A4 is coming close to an ideal streamlined shape so many of today's trains have a similarly shaped front end.
Had the pleasure of sitting in the drivers seat on a visit about 20 years ago when I was just a kid. Absolutely made my year!
Beautiful machine. Our indian semi high speed train vande bharat with electric traction is struggling to touch 160 kmph in 2023 , the mallard did 126 mph 70 yrs back. Enough said.
I love how even the inside of the cab looks elegant
It's just a fantastically beautiful loco. Such a shame it can't operate on the tracks, just imagine standing on a platform and having this roar past ...
Mallard may be on static display but some of her A4 sisters do still operate. A4 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley just completed overhaul and is expected to return to the main line early next year
Others of her kind still do run. Like Bittern and Sir Nigel Gresley.
@@the4tierbridge Bittern isn't operational at the moment, she's awaiting overhaul
Hello. I greet you from Argentina. It is very interesting to see how the railway equipment that has made history is preserved and preserved in your country. I had the opportunity to visit your museum and it is a wonderful work. I congratulate each of the people who work there preserving the history of the most important vehicle of culture that the world had: the railroad.
As I do not speak or write your language, I have used Google Translate to send this comment.
Well, Google Translate did a very good job at translating!
The Americans say railroad has Brits say railway 🚂
It’d be amazing if mallard could return to steam, sadly it might not happen but it’d be magical if she could return to steam and run on heritage lines
Spencer's twin brother. It's a shame they never showed him in the Thomas and Friends model or CGI series. Would've loved to see him and Spencer racing side-by-side or interacting with the other engines, especially Gordon and the Flying Scotsman.
so beautifully made. the mechanics and design are both amazing.
can’t believe these were made nearly 100 years ago
This guy has my dream job. He knows a lot of special secrets and stories about everything in the museum...and you've given him a camera to show and tell all of us! Really enjoyed this video, I learned something new and love hearing about unique locomotives and their unique histories. Cheers!
Mighty Mallard ! Great work by team LNER. The loco looks stunning with its streamlined body.
Loved listening to Bob's narration. :)
Always loved Mallard since I was a boy in the 80's. Art Deco design (maybe just after?) at it's finest.
Mallard is pretty much my favourite steam train of the lot. It has a beautiful design with a gorgeous livery and an interesting history and a grand achievement to its name.
I went to the museum today and I saw the mallard! (Its my favourite train)
My parents went to the NRM in either 1996 or 1998 (can't remember exactly), and Mum has since had a soft spot for the A4 class, even keeping a good 'roster shot' of Mallard in a photo album. I've also got a Hornby model of Mallard in garter blue.
Great video, thanks for posting. Please make more of these looking at some of your other fascinating exhibits
It's the dynamometer car next week!
@@NatRailwayMuseum what kind of fire shovel is that?
I brought a fire shovel back in 2011 for 40 pounds as i was then a member of the Watercress line. the guy i brought it off said it was a type used by the Great Western railway on their main line engines.
@@NatRailwayMuseum I understand Mallard was the basis of a Fictional LNER A4 engine called the Highland Falcan
Mallard is such a beautiful locomotive! please please tell me she’ll be restored to running condition someday again please? I know that she would require a heavy overhaul and a Lot money but it would be so worth it!
I enjoyed that cheerful story of how the day went and how the record was made, thank you.
A very pleasurable video, thanks. The Mallard has a special place in my heart because my grandfather, Raymond Cook, helped to build it.
I saw mallard coming into Grantham a few years back. Not under its own steam but kinda amazing seeing it come back to where it crashed years ago. Went to the exhibit outside the station and got to stand in the engine. It is an absolute beauty
Mallard never crashed
This is my favourite train EVER. I love the thumb print tale, I wonder who's thumb it was? And did they know and fess up ?Can't wait to get up to York for a visit very soon now, weather is warming up. I can't wait ❤🚂🚃🚄🚅🚆🚇🚈🚉🚊🚝 Choo Choo
What's lovely is when your visit you can actually touch the engine. Don't ask me why but you just *have* to touch it. There is something about these that is more than just a machine. No, I'm not a train fanatic, but these engines have a presence that's hard to describe.
Good video!! Thank you for uploading it
Amazing video of an iconic locomotive, thank you!
These Curator Cam videos are excellent -More Please !!
I think the Mallard should be restored and run excursions again!
This was a throughly interesting video, thank-you very much for taking the time to show a more in-depth perspective.
its the fact something that big with the mass of the time was flying down a track at 126mph.
The driver was 61?! That's as notable as the record.
Alco in the US apparently licensed the Gresley 3-cylinder concept and built a number of engines with it. The shops really hated it and it ended up causing a lot of trouble, so most of them were eventually bypassed.
No not really, the driver would have started off at 14 or 15 years of age as a cleaner, onto passed cleaner (sometimes acting as a Fireman), then Fireman and at a later stage becoming a driver. Each stage of progression would involve both written and practical exams.
I enjoyed that very much I hope to come to the museum some day to have a look in the cab of Mallard
Added a day to my stay in York in 2018 to see the Museum. Of course Mallard was among the highlights. I was in England for only 2 weeks but it was worthwhile.
it was/is the most elegant and beautiful steam locomotive ever built...
Thank you for sharing this National Railway Museum. Mallard is one of my favourite steam locomotives. Best wishes from Josh
Should I feel guilty or bad for missing the Mallard A4 anniversary events in 2013 and 2014 because of a lot of family and job commitments, my graduation 👨🎓 in Southampton and a art exhibition in London and I live too far away from York and Durham? I do not visit York every year! I had to build up money and visited Montreal Canada 🇨🇦 to see 4489 Dominion and visited Green Bay via Chicago in the USA 🇺🇸 to see 60008 Dwight D Eisenhower. I never seen them in 13 and 14!.
I was at the museum just a week before this video was published! This video answers so many of the questions I had when I saw this beautiful locomotive in person! Highly recommend visiting the museum if you're ever in York! Thanks!
Sir Nigel Gresley is said to have named the locomotive after the ducks in the moat of his house, Salisbury Hall, London Colney, Hertfordshire, where he lived in the 1930s. In October 1939, the house was used by the de Havilland Aircraft Company to design the DH.98 Mosquito in secret. The first prototype (W4050) flew from there in November 1940.
Nicely put together video and very informative. Look forward to more!
Bob "Here's Something You Didn't Know" Gwynne. I love it.
I remember reading about Mallard, as a kid growing up in the 1950's.
Visited the Museum from Australia in 1983 and made a point of looking for the Mallard.
But when I went into the display hall, there was the Mallard in hundreds of bits, having an overhaul!
It was ok though, as I got to see right inside this famous locomotive that maybe not many people have had the same opportunity.
There will always be debate about Mallard's record, with German and US claims of faster locos. The problem is that criteria for speed records weren't as clear and fixed as they are now.
According to what I've read, reports about the S1 cannot be traced back to actually speed official measurements. This doesn't mean she wasn't faster, it's just that the evidence isn't clear.
The Germans achieved a slightly lower top speed with their class 05 loco, but on level track.
My impression is that, based on criteria at the time, Mallard's record was a valid one, but it wouldn't have received that record under current criteria.
That sounds even better. Would love to see one side with the streamlining off and the other complete
I'm happy you came to York and also go to the railway museum the one good thing was you saw Mallard 🚧 I hope you enjoyed your time and you were in the UK.
Such a great museum can't wait to go back
My grandad would have passed that going the other way. He was born in 1900 and started with the railways at 14 ish, ended up as a driver based in York, went up to Edinbrough? and maybe as far south as Grantham. Mum said he shoveled 5 tons of coal each shift as a fireman. They started as cleaner, progressed to fireman then driver. He died at the age of 48. He even got his train machine gunned by the germans.
HORAY!!!!!! Another one! Clicked within a second!
Even now in 2022 it makes one proud to see the group photo,
So emotional, pure brilliance
Apparently driver Duddington was chosen because he would take a risk, a bit cavalier even, and he damaged the works, something in the middle cylinder or crank went wrong during the run. Nevertheless the run stands as it should. The Germans had a run too near enough to Mallard, but it still doesn't count. As for the US locomotive that allegedly ran at circa 150mph, that was never ratified, and the loco wasn't making an official attempt...
I was on a cruise recently and got talking to an old chap as we were waiting to enter for dinner, who it turned out was an engine driver, and he was proud to say he drove Mallard occasionally during his normal driving work. He didn't make a big deal out it, it was just daily work to him. I felt privileged to have met and chatted to this unassuming man...
Duddington was not responsible for the inside big-end issue; that was due to valve overtravel from the Gresley conjugating gear. (Which apparently was fixed long before BR days, once it was recognized as a concern). If I recall correctly, Duddington thought he could have gotten 130mph out of the locomotive if given a little more time...
@@wizlish Interesting commentary Wiz. Perhaps Mallard was capable of more, but surely at that speed it must have been approaching the limit of all that reciprocating mass? Dunno, I'm not an engineer. Must have been exciting at the time though. We invented the bloody things, so it's somehow fitting that we should produce the fastest. I sometimes wonder how much further steam traction would have advanced had the technology been allowed to really mature...
If you want the future of high-speed steam traction after the early Forties (in a world with no war, and no ruinous shortages and then factor-cost increases) look to the follow-ones of "That Other Railroad's" Turbomotive. Application of the Westinghouse planetary transmission (for PRR S2-style direct-drive turbine locomotives, patented in 1948) and the use of magnetorheological clutching (which became practical at almost the same time) and you have an engine that can make power almost independent of cyclic rpm concerns. Or balance two S2-style impulse-follows-by-reaction stages across a common driving pinion, LP plena outboard, and even within the constraints of the British loading gage you'll have all the power and speed you could want. (I remain miserable that Alan Fozard's Turbomotive 2 was stillborn; it still remains head and shoulders the "British" answer to a putative T1 'speed record attempt'...)
“I’m the Duke & Duchess’s private engine, I take them everywhere”
Has anyone done any work to study the impact the introduction of the streamlined services and speed records had on ticket sales for the LMS and LNER?
I used to work at Essendine about 50 metres from the railway when the HSTs started going through. Very impressive watching them speed down to Peterborough.
8:08 Why does the door open inward to the coal storage? Wouldn't the coal be blocking the door?
Weight of the coal, if it shifted during braking, would easily break the latch on the doors and spill a large amount unexpectedly onto the footplate.
Mallard is such a beautiful engine
9:15 He says "We're very privileged that people are still prepared to go out and drive these big machines at speed on the main line."
What he said is very true, but it sounds like he's saying theres a shortage of people would be prepared to do this work.
I bet there are hundreds if not thousands who would give their right arm to have that privilege.
To be able to drive or coal an A4 on the mainline! Thats the dream of any railway enthusiast!
Yes, but do you have The Knowledge -- including the knowledge when even a little faster develops resonance at a critical speed?
There are no aids like those on Buran or STS to help you run it, and increasing pitfalls above... well, about 100mph. Remember that even to touch 125mph you need twice the drawbar horsepower as to get to 100mph... with many of the additional train resistances increasing geometrically over that range.
0:06 I've Been To The National Railway Museum In York In Yorkshire Back In May 2018 And Reunite The LNER A4 Pacific Main Line Express Locomotive No. 4468 Mallard And It Was Super Awesome And It Was A Bit Like Flying Scotsman. X
Well the A4 is quite literally an improved , streamlined A3.
I'm old enough to have seen this engine run in service. It was a frequent visitor at Doncaster stopping before moving on to Edinburgh (or London Kings Cross).....The colour was BR green and the wheel covers had been removed but it was the same engine. A distinctive whistle to tell you it was a "streak" and close up when it stopped you could feel the enormous power when it breathed......the driver wore goggles and the noise when it slide off into movement made you put your fingers in your ears. So glad they preserved it......
The most beautiful locomotive in the world! What a machine!
5:50 the shovel is sometimes referred to a blad
Beautiful beast! I might be biased though, as my Grandad riveted her together! 😊.
Just wish she was still in operation…..
Cool! And to be honest we are lucky to even have 6 of these still around.
4:20 The contact patch of a train wheel on a track is theoretically a knife edge.
No it isn't; mutual deformation creates an oval with the major axis transverse, with effective bearing area about that of a U.S. dime for a driver at Mallard's adhesive weight.
As a Dane I visited this Railway Museum many years ago, after having seen my former direct ancestors small museum in York!
But close to my by then home in Denmark we had the longest bridge in Europe, built by the English Firm "Dorman and Long": "Storstrømsbroen" from 1937 which is 3,2 km long (It is to be replaced in a few years, so it has done its job well, though now mostly only being a raiway bridge + some local traffic). But in the early sixties I saw a Danish built steam locomotive going up the slope to the bridge with - 120 railway wagons behind it. It was absolutely red hot in the visible bottom, and of course puffed a lot of smoke going up the hill.
💙 it's too beautiful to be out on the rails! 😁
Seems a very ancient technology but today many people who travel one of those things are still alive
But I ask myself what is with the Br05? was it possible faster? The two locomotives have near the exact topspeed but the mallard was going down hill at the start can you say something about that?
Br05 went 119 mph
@@Porsche_Addict05 br 05 200.4km/h mallard 201.2km/h
200km/h =124.5mph
@@marcowinkler8225 mallard went faster mallard fastest
A potential problem is the fibbing. The actual dynamometer trace indicates the '126.1' for a ridiculously short interval, and the momentary acceleration charged to reach that is unlikely to be from anything other than a surge artifact. Gresley himself only accepted 125 and a fraction as the 'best' speed -- which is still good enough for fair history.
It is quite possible that the BR05 'could' have gone faster still. But there is no record that that was done. Alfred Bruce of Alco said he had seen Milwaukee A locomotives operate at 128mph more than once, but without a dynamometer trace that remains only an invitation to see a replica built to demonstrate it.
@@wizlishI would also note that this was on British lines. Mallard was running close to the design limit of a lot of our current main lines.
Is it the fastest engine that could be designed? No. Is it the fastest engine that ever was? Almost certainly
Love the video, very informative and an eye opener. Just love it in blue but I believe that they did do it in other colours; is this true? Started to do a rail model layout in my refurbished shed at the age of 61 and my wife and I think that a Blue Mallard is a definite requirement when we can afford it. What carriages, and colours, did the Mallard pull, or which was it renowned to pull ?? Would love to get this right for when we buy one.
Kindest regards and thanks,
Richard Clowes
Hi Richard, you're correct in that the A4s had a lot of different liveries over time. The most classic look for Mallard would be in Garter blue, as it's preserved, and hauling LNER teak coaches. However, there are a lot of other options to choose from, so I'll try and give you an overview so you can pick for yourself!
-1935: Silver and grey
The first four A4s were build for the "Silver Jubilee" train from London to Newcastle in 1935. These were all painted in silver and grey, and had silver themed names (Silver Link, Quicksilver, Silver King and Silver Fox). None of these were preserved, but Bittern was painted to look like Silver Link in the 1980s and 90s so there are quite a few photos of this.
The train also had special, steel, streamlined and articulated coaches. These were painted silver and grey to match. The trains hauled 7 coaches, made up of two double coach sets and one triple coach set with a restaurant. Note: if you google "LNER articulated coaches" you'll see pictures of smaller, teak sets used for commuter lines. Search for "Silver jubilee coaches" instead to see what these looked like.
-1936: Apple green
The next five A4s were painted in LNERs standard apple green (aka Doncaster green) livery. This only lasted a year and no preserved locomotives have this livery.
In general service the A4s would have hauled the standard LNER 60ft "Teak" coaches (they were actually made of steel, but painted with a wood effect to match LNERs older coaches)
-1937: Garter blue
In 1937 LNER launched "The Coronation" train between London and Edinburgh, and had five A4s made with a new Garter Blue livery with red wheels (Union of South Africa, Dominion of Canada, Empire of India, Commonwealth of Australia, and Dominion of New Zealand). In the end they liked this livery so much they made it standard for all the A4s! Mallard, Bittern and Dominion of Canada are all preserved with this livery.
The train had special coaches, like that of the Silver Jubilee. These were painted blue and white. Each train had eight coaches using four double coach articulated sets, and in summer also had a special streamlined observation car attached at the back. Both of these observation cars have been preserved. One of them is in BR maroon with a rebuilt, less streamlined shape, and the other has just been rebuilt into its original form with the blue and white colour scheme.
-1942: Austerity black
During WW2 the A4s were all repainted black due to austerity measures and the streamlined cowling over the wheels was removed to ease maintenance. Although they were repainted Garter blue after the war, the cowlings were never added back on.
-1948: BR Express blue
After nationalisation the A4s were painted in BR express blue (slightly darker than garter blue) with white lining. A4 Sir Nigel Gresley has been preserved in this colour.
-1951: BR Brunswick green
The final livery used on the A4s was the standard BR express livery of Brunswick green with orange and black lining. Union of South Africa and Dwight D. Eisenhower have been preserved in this colour.
In terms of BR coaches, they were first painted in crimson and cream (aka "blood and custard") and then all maroon from the mid 1950s onwards. However, this took some time, and there were still some teak coaches hanging around at the end of the 1950s!
Overall, I'd say the most famous look would be Mallard in Garter blue with teak LNER coaches. If I could I would love to have a full set of the Coronation coaches and the observation car, but I don't think any prebuilt models exist and sadly I have neither the time to build them or the space to run a 9-coach train!
Hope you enjoy building your layout, and have fun looking at photos of A4s inn lots of different colours!
I only saw Mallard when it was green Brunswick green beautiful
In my (admittedly American) opinion, the engine should be preserved in exactly the state it was in beginning the record run in 1938. Which I believe was in the original green livery.
These locomotives have a very futuristic design and quite technological advanced look to have been made in that era.. That’s cool.
Intercity 125: “bruh, I’m so fast”
Mallard: *”Will you shut the bloody hell up?”*
Intercity 125: “whatcha gonna do?”
Mallard: *”MY DYNAMOMETER CAR WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THAT WITH YOU”*
Intercity 125: “……….”
125s are faster yer plonker.
125s are faster you absolute melon
The 125 once hit 148mph
The 125 can definitely push more than 125 if you need it to. It just doesn't. Pretty sure that's track limitations
A really well made and produced documentary. Thank you. 👍
This thing is beautiful it looks fast just standing still 😍😍😍
Man I love this train so much. My passion for mallard came from railroad tycoon 2
Awesome. I love the Mallard.
I love these videos! So interesting and definitely would love to see more 🚂🚂🚂
The house Gresley was staying in was Salisbury Hall, which is also where the De Havilland Mosquito was designed. Two of the most beautiful machines in history, both noted for prodigious speed.
Beautiful Locomotive!
Mallard is great, been on the footplate of all remaining A4s during the great gathering, currently building an O Scale version on my channel
Can smell the oil and steel, so cool
i seen her a few weeks ago, nearly instantly after seeing flying scotsman leave york with the waverly to carlisle
9:55 is that the whistle from Steam Sounds Supreme A4 sound pack?
Nicely instructive narration.
I believe many steam enthusiasts would enjoy a video of how the Pacific A4 three-cylinder system worked.
With my three-cylinder lawn mower, English motorcycle, and the Japanese motorcar I purchased for my wife, I am, perhaps biased.
Walker with the Kubota diesel? Had one too and loved it... but it did not have the charmingly irregular exhaust of so many of the Gresley three-cylinder engines...
Very beautiful engine and interesting video
I seriously do personally just suddenly feel quite pleased to happily mention that this officially well-known L N E R class A4 Pacific type of steam-driven railway tender locomotive designed by the famously well-known Sir Herbert Nigel Gresley himself in Doncaster during the official 193Os(1938) respectfully known as Mallard certainly happens to be very shockingly surprisingly featured in the officially well-known Train Sim app featured on my own official tablet that Scott gave me awhile back!
I seriously, suddenly, happily, officially, famously, respectfully, certainly, shockingly, surprisingly, officially think that's awesome!
Wonderful video about a beautiful machine.
It's sitting in York so I'm happy that it was recognised to have been built in Doncaster where I used to work with the LNER in the 1950/60s. Lots of famous locomotives came from my workplace.
Did you know of a Clarence Fletcher by chance? He worked in Doncaster Railway and was a driver probably during the 1930's-1950's/60's. Apparently drove the Mallard and Flying Scotsman's (amongst others I am sure). He was my great grandfather, died in 1970 a decade before I was born.
My great grandfather was one of the drivers (Clarence Fletcher).
Will she ever get restored for mainline running again?
Hopefully one day. Might have to wait for the centenary anniversary of the record though
Many A4’s regularly ran well past 100 mph. Other British loco’s did too such as as the A1, A3, and Stanier Duchess. Not forgetting Truro that exceeded 100 mph in 1903.
Yeah when steam got on the mainlines they were real speed machines.
"Not forgetting Truro that exceeded 100 mph in 1903".....allegedly.
@@juleshathaway3894 *Gordon has entered the chat.*
@@TheBrickGuy7939 ???
@@TheBrickGuy7939 what has an LNER A1 Pacific got to do with an A4 Pacific?
Remember my dad for a pack of ciggies each stood on her footplate I think she was green then , was allowed the Whistle at Kings Cross, was staggered to see a singer from Bristol to London £80 these days thanks again Maggie !
When Bob Gwynne talks trains I'm all ears.
You wouldn't need to go to the gym after stoking the firebox in this loco all the way from king's cross to edinburgh. And it must've been a real sense of power driving it back in 1938.
The fireman's job was indeed a mammoth task, but the same crew did not work all the way from Kings X to Edinburgh. There was a change of crew midway.
Great video is there any chance she might steam agai,it's shame she is not runni g.
Very interesting..
I always wondered if she was serviced like Scotsman, what speed she or Bittern (when she's serviced) could record pulling just the tender.
But I also wonder if Jeremy Hosking or any rail authority/body would simply never let Bittern be pushed that hard again.
Love those streamlined locomotives. While Mallard has the world record. Thought that i had read somewhere that the Duchess's were more powerful. Matters not, both are representative of a golden age of the railways.
Different railways built engines differently as different requirements. Duchess had to get over snap, GWR Kings needs to get over the south Devon bank’s. These required power but not necessarily deliver speed.
A4 like greyhound. Light and sleek built for speed but won’t necessarily pull as much weight of train.
Fastest scheduled train service was GWR Bristolian and that’s fastest recorded run over Brunei’s billiard table was set by a castle rather then a king even though less powerful on paper.
awesome video
If i remember correctly all Gresley locos had the same cab layout so you could be rostered to use any loco as they had the same layout.
It's a shame we can't see this on rail tours anymore
OMG my first favorite engine in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is my 2nd favourite engine from the LNER
Whot is your first..?
Oh dear, let me do guess, The Flying Scotsman...!
@ it is Flying Scotsman my most favourite engine from the LNER