A short history of LNER A4 60009 Union of South Africa
As Number 9 is retired after more than 50 years in preservation, John C Brownlie takes a
look at the locomotive’s story.
5 minute read
Official LNER publicity photograph from June 1937 showing Union of South Africa brand new
from Doncaster works with her original number 4488 and Garter blue livery. Image permission thanks
to Chris Nettleton at The Gresley Society Trust. The Chris Nettleton Collection.
Streamline Moderne
The Class A4 Streamliner was designed by Sir Nigel Gresley for the London and North Eastern Railway and first rolled out the works in 1935. The A4 is regarded by many as one of the most beautiful class of steam locomotives ever to be built. His vision was inspired in part by a futuristic petrol-driven rail car, designed by automobile designer Ettore Bugatti, which Gresley had witnessed in France. The A4’s streamlining was refined using the wind tunnel facilities at the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington. The trend for aerodynamic form at this time was part of the larger Art Deco movement in architecture, transport and product design known as Streamline Moderne.
Union of South Africa with her original LNER number 4488, Garter blue livery and streamlined side valances still present. 4pm on 10 March 1938, departing from London Kings Cross with The Coronation to Edinburgh Waverley. (George Barlow / Transport Treasury)
LNER and The Coronation
To mark the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in May 1937, the LNER gave the name The Coronation to its non-stop service between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh Waverley. The streamlined design by Gresley was based on The Silver Jubilee from 1935 which carried a silver and grey livery. The Coronation was painted in a two-tone blue livery with stainless steel detailing on the loco and carriages. The Garter blue on the locomotive continued along the lower coach panels whilst a lighter Marlborough blue was used at window height. Each streamlined train set was formed of four two-car articulated units. The famous Beavertail observation car was attached to the rear of the train during the summer months. Only two of these were ever built and were the epitome of 1930s Art-Deco elegance on the rails.
Fully restored: Original Beavertail car 1729 from The Coronation set is seen with LNER A4 4464 Bittern at The One:One Collection in Kent. This new museum is being developed within the former warehouse on the Hornby site in Margate, next to Hornby’s offices and visitor centre. The long journey to 1729’s breathtaking restoration started decades ago and has been painstakingly completed by Nemesis Rail. Steam Railway Magazine published the full story in Feb 2021. Image permission thanks to David Mather and Hornby. Additional thanks to Loris Clements and Tim Dunn.
Naming the LNER A4s
To haul these expresses between the two Capital cities, the LNER allocated five brand new A4 locomotives which were rolling off the production line in Doncaster during May and June 1937. To mark the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth that year, each of the five A4 locomotives from 4488 through to 4492 were named after members of The Commonwealth, as then was.
4488 had originally been allocated the name Osprey. When names were assigned to The Coronation sets, the name Osprey was put aside for another newer A4, 4494, which was built later in 1937. 4494 subsequently carried the name Osprey for the next 5 years until 1942 - when it was renamed Andrew K. McCosh after the Chairman of the LNER Locomotive Committee. 4494 (later known as 60003) was taken out of service at the end of 1962 and scrapped. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Union of South Africa‘s 1937 nameplates were removed. During those years, the locomotive once again carried her original name Osprey.
When newly built engine 4488 entered Doncaster paint shop in early April 1937, it already carried the name
Osprey. This was to be the first A4 designated to pull The Coronation and it remained at the
works for several weeks whilst Gresley’s design team experimented with different blue liveries. The Garter
blue livery that was finally decided upon became the uniform look for the A4s by 1938. It’s the same livery
still worn by sister locomotive 4468 Mallard today. 4488 eventually emerged on 18 June 1937 with
Union of South Africa nameplates although these were covered until the official naming ceremony
on 28 June 1937. This rare photo of 4488 at Kings Cross was taken between those two dates just prior to
the naming ceremony. Thanks to Chris Nettleton and The Gresley Society Trust for this research from the
RCTS 'Green Book'. Image permission thanks to The Chris Nettleton Collection.
World speed records
The first LNER A4 to be built, 2509 Silver Link, broke the world speed record for a steam locomotive on a publicity run from Kings Cross on 27 September 1935, just 20 days after entering service. It reached the unprecedented speed of 112.5mph (181km/h). The following year, in May 1936, the world speed record was taken by Germany. DRG Class 05 streamlined locomotive achieved 124.5mph (200.4km/h) between Berlin and Hamburg.
By 1937, the London Midland Scottish Railway (LMS) had developed their own streamlined locomotive to rival the LNER’s A4 in the race to Scotland. Designed by William Stanier and known as the Princess Coronation Class, they were built to run the non-stop Coronation Scot between London Euston and Glasgow Central. The first locomotive of the class, 6220 Coronation, achieved 114mph (183.5km/h) near Crewe in June 1937.
The LNER took back the British and the World record on 3 July 1938. Class A4 4468 Mallard famously reached 126mph (203km/h) on Stoke Bank, South of Grantham. This made Mallard the fastest steam locomotive in the world, a speed record which still stands today. World War II brought an end to further record attempts made during publicity and test runs. However, in regular passenger service, Mallard’s sister A4 locomotive Union of South Africa is noted to have accomplished the fastest ever recorded non-stop steam run up the East Coast from London to Edinburgh.
4488 Union of South Africa on the East Coast Main Line near Potters Bar in 1938 with The
Coronation to Edinburgh Waverley. The distinctive articulated coaches designed by Gresley for this
express can be seen here. Each pair of coaches shared one bogie (wheelset) in between them which
reduced weight. Image permission thanks to The Chris Nettleton Collection.
Wartime and Nationalisation
From 1941, all the A4s received LNER wartime unlined black livery. The streamlined side valances that covered part of the driving wheels were also removed to allow easier access for maintenance. 4488 Union of South Africa had this work done in March 1942 and, from January 1946, her final LNER identifier was simply “9”. With nationalisation and the formation of British Railways in 1948, she was renumbered 60009. In August 1949, she was painted in British Railways express passenger blue. This livery featured the new 1948 British Railways corporate logo with the Lion astride the spoked wheel. In October 1952, she was repainted with the Standard BR lined green livery. The British Railways logo, displayed on the tender, was further modified to the roundel design in 1956. This was to be the last livery she carried in service and it’s this appearance that 60009 has retained ever since.
To mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953, The Capitals Limited service was
renamed The Elizabethan. Now numbered 60009 and in the new British Railways Green livery,
Union of South Africa departs from Edinburgh Waverley that same year. The clock tower of The
North British (now Balmoral) Hotel can be seen in the background. It was designed in Scottish baronial style
by architect William Hamilton Beattie and built for The North British Railway Company when Waverley
station was redesigned in the 1890s. Image permission thanks to The Chris Nettleton Collection.
The end of UK steam
As the Deltic diesels were introduced in 1961-62 to take over from the A4 Pacifics on the
East Coast Main Line, the A4s were gradually removed from Anglo-Scottish expresses
and moved North of the border. 60009 was reallocated to Aberdeen Ferryhill in 1962 to
work the three hour expresses to Glasgow Buchanan Street. Several more A4s from the
fleet were moved North to join them in 1963. On 24 October 1964, 60009 took the very
last steam-hauled passenger train out of London Kings Cross to Newcastle, marking the
end of A4 running on the route. It was called The Jubilee Requiem, and was
organised by the Railway Correspondence and Travel Society (RCTS) and The
Stephenson Locomotive Society (SLS).
On Saturday 24 October 1964, 60009 Union of South Africa worked the very last steam-hauled
passenger train out of London Kings Cross. The Jubilee Requiem ran to Newcastle and back. Here, in
this colour photo from 60 years ago, Number 9 is seen at Gateshead depot, just over the River Tyne
from Newcastle Central station, before the return journey. Image permission thanks to The Chris Nettleton
Collection.
Rescuing an A4
In 2023, Number 9 was once again looking immaculate and in her new static home on John’s farm in Fife. Having a chat with John Cameron whilst we were admiring the locomotive, he was telling me the story of how he came to purchase this particular A4.
As early as 1962, A4s were being taken out of service, destined for the scrap yard. John Cameron’s ambition was to save one. In 1966, there were still five A4s in Scotland which were being used on the Glasgow Aberdeen express route via Perth and Forfar. John knew the Foreman at Ferryhill Depot in Aberdeen - a chap by the name of Jock Tosh. John explained his interest in purchasing one of the five A4s and asked Jock to recommend which was the best. Jock said “Without a doubt, Number 9”, explaining that it was the last of its class to have a boiler overhaul at Doncaster Works. John laughed and recalled fondly that Jock went on “and if you’re not in too much of a hurry for it, I’ll make sure it gets a mechanical too!”
Locomotives often shared reconditioned parts. 60009’s own tender was destined to become the second water carrying tender for 4472 Flying Scotsman. At the time John purchased 60009, it needed a replacement tender. As it turned out, the best available was the corridor tender originally built for Gresley’s experimental W1 Class Locomotive 10000 Hush Hush. 60009 has been paired with that ever since.
A new life in preservation
60009 was formally retired from service by British Rail on 1 June 1966 and the following month, was purchased by John Cameron. The same year, Cameron purchased Lochty Farm, which included part of the old East Fife Central Railway, a branch line that ran from Leven to Lochty. He purchased some track from the National Coal Board, enabling the establishment of about three-quarters of a mile of line to run on. Footplate rides were given on 60009 in the summer of 1967. The following year, a coach was acquired so that passenger carrying trains could move back and forth.
This became known as The Lochty Private Railway. It provided something of a safe haven for the loco as British Rail had imposed a ban on steam traction across standard gauge tracks which lasted from 1968 to 1971. In 1973, 60009 was moved back onto the main UK rail network and, whilst based at various sheds in Fife, ran special trains throughout the 70s and 80s, notably with the Scottish Railway Preservation Society.
60009 Union of South Africa with the Scarborough Spa Express 9 August 1984. In the first image, Number 9 is being prepared for departure at York. Signage for the model railway exhibition can be seen on the opposite platform. Rail Riders World as it became known, was opened earlier that same year occupying the old Tea Rooms at York station. In the second image, Number 9 is approaching Dringhouses just South of York en route to Leeds and Harrogate. Prior to privatisation, this had been part of the Scarborough Spa Express excursion. Image permissions thanks to Philip Benham FCILT, Chair of The Gresley Society Trust.
Carrying the name Osprey, 60009 was rostered to work the popular The Forth
Centennial specials to mark the 100th anniversary of the opening of The Forth Bridge. In the first
image, on 16 June 1990, Osprey comes off the bridge approaching North Queensferry. As I
didn’t have my own SLR then, I managed to borrow a Pentax P30 from my school art dept. The
imposing perspective was made possible thanks to my friend David letting me use his Dad’s vintage
400mm lens! The shot was published full-page in the SRPS magazine that summer. The second photo
was taken in October 1990 at Edinburgh Waverley. Photographs by John C Brownlie.
Heading North: 60009 creates quite a spectacle leaving Stirling on a chilly afternoon in 1993. The
station and surrounding environs have seen considerable modernisation and development over the
years, especially to the East. In this shot, the British Rail Motorail loading ramp is still visible in the far
left of the frame. On the far right, on the North West side, the old bay platforms and goods yard are
now car parking. Photograph by John C Brownlie.
60009 on the main line
Since Mallard last ran in July 1988, only two other A4s have ever been operational - Sir Nigel Gresley and Bittern. Following a major refurbishment in 1989, 60009 began a prolific schedule of touring from the Highlands to Devon. 60009 hauled The Forth Centennial specials in 1990 which commemorated the 100th birthday of the Forth Bridge. Over the years, she’s worked extensively on the national network and visited numerous heritage railways. These have included the Strathspey, Bo’ness and Kinneil, North Yorkshire Moors, Keighley and Worth Valley, East Lancashire, Great Central, Severn Valley, and Dartmouth to name but a few. 60009 had another major overhaul between 2010 and 2012 at Pete Waterman’s LNWR workshops in Crewe.
60009 at London Kings Cross on 29 October 1994. This was the first steam working from KX since a charter
in 1968. It was also 30 years, almost to the day, since 60009 had worked The Jubilee Requiem, the
last officially scheduled steam service from here. Seen here with a Steam Railway Magazine special to
Peterborough. Image permissions thanks to Philip Benham FCILT, Chair of The Gresley Society Trust.
The Great Gathering of A4s
In 2013, The National Railway Museum in York hosted The Great Gathering. This was a once in a generation occasion to bring the last six surviving A4s back together, to mark 75 years since Mallard’s world speed record. 60009 was proudly displayed in the Great Hall of the NRM alongside her classmates 4464 Bittern, 4468 Mallard, 4489 Dominion of Canada, 6007 Sir Nigel Gresley and 60008 Dwight D Eisenhower.
All six surviving A4s assembled at The Great Gathering. The National Railway Museum, York, July 2013. 60009 Union of South Africa is in the centre. Image permission thanks to Philip Benham FCILT, Chair of The Gresley Society Trust.
The Royal Train
In 2015, the new Borders Railway from Edinburgh to Tweedbank was formally opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. John Cameron CBE had the honour of meeting The Queen and driving 60009 at the head of The Royal Train. An occasion he described as his “proudest day”.
Half a century in preservation
60009 has worked almost consistently for 86 years, over 50 of which have been in
preservation. She’s traversed main lines and heritage railways, the length and breadth of
the UK with only a modest amount of downtime for overhauls. It’s no surprise that in her
lifetime of service, 60009 has covered the highest mileage of all Gresley’s magnificent A4
locomotives.
60009‘s last main line outing was The Yorkshireman from Ealing to York on 7 March 2020. She was then moved to the East Lancashire Railway where she worked the remainder of the time left on her boiler certificate. In 2022, she was moved to static display at the Bury Transport Museum.
Visiting an old friend: Number 9 in her new home in Fife. I took this one in 2023 whilst spending the
afternoon with John Cameron at his home. Amongst other things, we chatted about his plans for the new
railway museum at Balbuthie. Photo John C Brownlie.
Where is 60009 now?
She’s now off the rail network and back in the same part of the country that provided
sanctuary when first rescued by John Cameron in the 1960s. He currently has no plans
for his locomotive to run again but she’s in beautiful condition. In 2023, Riley and Son in
Bury conducted a full cosmetic restoration of 60009. (The same workshop where
Flying Scotsman received a full overhaul in 2016.)
Looking immaculate, 60009 was transported by road, home to Fife by John Cameron to
join his other loco, Gresley K4
The Great Marquess. Both locomotives are located
within what will be John Cameron’s Railway Museum and Open Farm Visitor Centre at
Balbuthie in Fife. This is a privately-funded venture by John Cameron and the site is
currently in development.
In due course, it’s hoped a new social media channel for Balbuthie will start to provide
news on developments. When information about a public opening is made available, it’ll
be shared on the John Charles Media pages.
Balbuthie in 2023: John Cameron CBE with his pride and joy, Number 9. Photo John C Brownlie.