A4s: The Long Goodbye (short)

Рет қаралды 376,984

10 жыл бұрын

The Great Goodbye at Locomotion, the National Railway Museums annexe in Shildon, County Durham, was the last NRM event to bring together all six surviving Gresley A4 Pacific locomotives in a year of celebrations commemorating the 75th anniversary of 4468 Mallard setting the world speed record for steam traction.
Three of the six still run. This film shows 4464 Bittern on her way and getting settled at Shildon. The weather was too awful (for me anyway) to go and film 60009 Union of South Africa arriving with Mallard and 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley managed to evade the attention of the website that was supposed to be following it and got there before I even left the house but there's some footage of the preparations then all three runners on brake-van rides during the event.
Websites
Locomotion: www.nrm.org.uk/locomotion
The National Railway Museum: www.nrm.org.uk
The Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Preservation Trust: www.sirnigelgresley.org.uk
The Gresley Society: www.gresley.org
The LNER Encyclopedia: www.lner.info
Since posting Darlington Council has thought better of closing Darlington Railway Museum. Indeed it is looking forward to extensive renovation as the centre of almost a railway heritage park taking in surviving railway buildings nearby and a new building for the A1 Steam Trust with a welcome rail connection to the Bishop Line.
Work should be completed in time for the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway opening.
Since KZfaq has removed the pauses the held the captions on screen. A new version has been posted with extended captions.

Пікірлер: 462

@TimRuffle Жыл бұрын

There is now a new version of this video with longer lasting captions for those of you who have commented that they go by too quickly for reasons explained below but also can't read text on paused video due to platform limitations.

@grahamrobson5954 4 жыл бұрын

I took my dad here shortly before he passed away , he stood next to the mallard and said , I stood next to it as a young lad , now I'm standing next to it as an old man

@keplermission 4 жыл бұрын

Funny ... what elderly parents have to do to please their grownup children.

@JimbobsTransportVideos 3 жыл бұрын

keplermission wow you seem like a dick

@itzrookie8086 3 жыл бұрын

@@JimbobsTransportVideos yeah ngl

@JimbobsTransportVideos 3 жыл бұрын

Itz Rookie808 thank you sir for not lying the world is saved!

@inglepropnoosegarm7801 3 жыл бұрын

@@keplermission Maybe you will one day develop some wisdom, but I wouldn't count on it.

@johnbeck2042 2 ай бұрын

I was born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1943, and I remember so well the wonderful steam engines which ran from Cape Town Central down to Simon's Town in our beautiful Cape Peninsula. My parents would take me to Wynberg Station, very near to where we lived, to watch the steamers chuff slightly uphill towards Cape Town and return, almost celebrating the hard uphill run. My Scottish Granny would say that during their uphill run the engines would say "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can" and on the downhill run they would say "I knew I could, I knew I could, I knew I could". I have never forgotten this wonderful Chuffing Song, and I am 80 years old. Also, it's so great to see the magnificent Spirit of South Africa in real life, although so far away! Well done to all who keep these giants of steam alive!!!

@marraskuu001 4 жыл бұрын

To put this in context, it's like getting all the surviving Concords and putting them in one place

@jayo1212 Жыл бұрын

Or all of the surviving Canadian Pacific 4-4-0's, which I'd really love to see...

@tomtalk24 4 жыл бұрын

Pure style! Well done Sir Nigel Gresley, you created icons.

@julianlockwood3040 3 жыл бұрын

Beautiful to see these A4s together and looking so splendid. I would love to see one of them in the original Silver Jubilee colors, especially with matching rolling stock. That must have been a glorious sight in the day !

@Yorkshire_trainspotter 10 ай бұрын

They did repaint one of them (Bittern I think) years ago.

@andrefalconer6537 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for your reply regarding The Deltic engines, 😊,

@TimRuffle 2 жыл бұрын

I know- you can't read that fast... When I posted this it was possible to add pauses in KZfaq. Since I don't have that fast a connection I took advantage of this by keeping the text screens to a couple of seconds which significantly reduced the size of the video file and thus the amount of time it took to upload which was already hours. KZfaq has since removed this feature and now has removed the pauses. It should be easy enough to pause the video but a comment from WashingtonSAFC (below) revealed to me that KZfaq applications on some devices (for no doubt excvellent reasons) obscure part of the screen making them illegible. The captions have now been reproduced in the video description which I hope will make them accessible to more viewers.

@WashingtonSAFC 2 жыл бұрын

If you pause a video now (whilst casting onto your TV, which is the way I watch videos, at least), a stupid block of black screen covers the bottom about 50/60% of the screen. So pausing it would be futile, now.. Some recent 'improvement' to the KZfaq app, it's no doubt classed as.. I was there on the Wednesday, what a glorious sight. I found this video by total accident/good luck. I wasn't searching for it, it just showed up on my feed,, pleased it did.

@TimRuffle 2 жыл бұрын

@@WashingtonSAFC I wonder what whoever designed the YouYube App on your telly thought its users needed a pause button for- massive own goal. As you were there I doubt there's much in the text you don't already know. I'm still not keen to spend several hours reposting the vid' but but I'll reproduce the text in the pinned comment for anyone in the same boat. I'm glad that you could enjoyed the film anyway, thank you for your comment, and hope it didn't spoilt things too much.

@WashingtonSAFC 2 жыл бұрын

@@TimRuffle Oh dear, it's not a "KZfaq app on my tele", it's watching a video on my tele whilst playing it on my mobile and casting it via Google Chromecast. It happens with my OnePlus 9, my LG, the Missus OnePlus 8. And it happens on our new 55" Toshiba in the living room, our 43" JVC in the bedroom, our 40" JVC in our caravan. Using 3 different Chromecast dongles, each in a different device, from the two latest generations of Chromecast (Bearing in mind, if it's Chromecast that's the problem - and not the mobile phones, the various TVs, or your unfeasible writing - it's probably fair to say that Chromecast is probably the most common casting device, so it's also fair to say that it's not just me that has the problem with your video).

@TimRuffle 2 жыл бұрын

@@WashingtonSAFC Regardless of the device being used blanking half the screen when a video is paused is daft. Anyway- I've repeated the captions in the description which, I hope, will make them more accessible.

@TimRuffle 5 ай бұрын

@@WashingtonSAFC I've bitten the bullet and posted a version of this video with the captions on screen for longer. Hope this is helpful.

@johnmehaffey9953 5 жыл бұрын

It's good to remember these wonderful machines, the engineering that went into making them and yes they were not very economic to run but it's all Britain had and they worked tirelessly throughout the war years, I just love the smell of locomotives in steam and I'm fortunate to live close to the steam preservation here in Ireland so see steam quite often and it never fails to make me smile when I see them in steam

@keplermission 4 жыл бұрын

Paid for by the British Empire, Australia, Canada, India, and Africa. Today Rishi Sunak looks set to replace the likes of Churchill as Prime Minister of the UK.

@techbysteff4829 2 жыл бұрын

Where is that ? I also live in Ireland and would like to see them, Im always googling to see where I can go see some steam locos but never get lucky.

@mphclass-ij4ve Жыл бұрын

@@techbysteff4829there's a railway museum at Whitehead, Carrickfergus, NI

@Chevroletmontecarlo 5 жыл бұрын

Nothing is like watching a steam loco at speed and slowly moving

@ESmith-ik8vu 5 жыл бұрын

Indeed, they were the most elegantly beautiful engines I ever saw!

@samsmithsonite1595 5 жыл бұрын

E. Smith kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gKqlfZarra_ahWg.html

@mrcamelpmw 4 жыл бұрын

I have to say that for all the crowds etc, when you finally had clear vision of the locomotives, you're focus and framing was excellent. loved it.

@TimRuffle 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much. There are many hours of out-takes.

@kevincook7524 4 жыл бұрын

Hope you have a wonderful retirement, Union Of South Africa!

@johnbird6797 6 жыл бұрын

What an exquisite video-beautifully filmed and more importantly benefiting from classy editing- not to mention the often amusing observations in the commentary!

@TimRuffle 6 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much. I actually enjoy editing much more than filming.

@itzmespencer 5 ай бұрын

2:27 Bittern emerging from the steam looks wicked

@TimRuffle 5 ай бұрын

One of the better shots I think- glad I caught it. I hope you enjoyed the whole film.

@Electron1944 5 жыл бұрын

Still nothing to compare with watching these wonderful engines at speed during their working lifetime for BR. Many of them used to go thrashing through East and West Ardsley (between Leeds and Wakefield) on a regular basis, and to stand by the track side, separated only by a wooden fence was the REAL experience, never to be forgotten.

@TimRuffle 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment. Nothing to really compare with your memories here I'm afraid but I hope you enjoyed the film.

@samsmithsonite1595 5 жыл бұрын

Ron Lake kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gKqlfZarra_ahWg.html

@MrsBobby-gy5of 5 жыл бұрын

I know how you feel Ron Our fave was a few miles north of Grantham on the Elizabethan Going full chat .That was the best chance of seeing the Scottish A4s. Grantham was also a good place for the north eastern streaks as it was a turn round to return north . Another thing about Grantham many ex plant Pacific's were run in from Doncaster before returning .

@werdnarotcorp8991 5 жыл бұрын

I agree with your sentiments but the Leeds-Wakefield rail line does/did not run through West Ardsley. On the other side of the line from East Ardsley station to the sheds at the Falls is the village of Thorpe (on-the hill). West Ardsley is at least a mile away (past Ambler's Mill across Bradford Rd.). Nonetheless you are correct that we could see all these great locos not least because of the sheds. Both my granddads were drivers and lived in Thorpe. My mum's dad took Mallard from Leeds to the Ardsley sheds for a re-fit sometime in the 50s and gave my dad a ride on the footplate from Beeston.

@ianjones4116 3 жыл бұрын

Mr Nigel would have been pleased. You guys did him Proud Well done to you All. 👍from a dirty diesel lover.

@alanhobbs7048 2 жыл бұрын

I cabbed mallard at kings cross station 65 years ago.See all the A4s except William Whitelaw who for some reason never came down south.

@TimRuffle 2 жыл бұрын

My Dad told me that the first time he ever went to Kings Cross Mallard was there. I don't recall him mentioning the date. Hope you enjoyed the film.

@davidantoniocamposbarros7528 3 жыл бұрын

Meanwhile,Sir Nigel Grestley looking down from heaven: oh look its my children,they seem to be having fun

@IBM-vw4fv 3 жыл бұрын

Too bad over 20 of them are gone...

@thomashambly3718 5 жыл бұрын

Poor bittern, the most underrated a4, but the most reliable old girl

@TimRuffle 5 жыл бұрын

I thought she looked great. Have you seen the video of her thundering through Doncaster at 90+?

@thomashambly3718 5 жыл бұрын

@@TimRuffle yes I have

@MrDaiseymay 4 жыл бұрын

I don't think she 's Bitterne about it.

@davidparry1982 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this film and don’t be sad a lot of kids wills have seen the anniversary and if not been immediately converted to steam addicts will now appreciate a piece of their industrial heritage

@rosewhite--- 6 жыл бұрын

impossible not to say the streaks were absolutely beautiful!

@TimRuffle 6 жыл бұрын

It's possible. Wrong but possible.

@fredgreenwood8052 6 жыл бұрын

Rose White @@

@samsmithsonite1595 5 жыл бұрын

Rose White kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gKqlfZarra_ahWg.html

@keplermission 4 жыл бұрын

Impossible not to say the claimed 126 mph land speed record. What happened to Britain? They were never as good as they'd hoped and today cricket scores have much to tell.

@rosewhite--- 4 жыл бұрын

@@keplermission Britain ruled a hug chunk of Earth and civilised it though now most of those former colonies is pretty barbaric.

@nikerailfanningttm9046 Жыл бұрын

There’s actually a rarely seen 7th A4 in existence. She was built at Warren Truck Assembly in Warren Michigan and is now owned and operated by my family. Painstakingly repainted in LNER Garter Blue, she is America’s Mallard.

@TimRuffle Жыл бұрын

I've Googled that to no avail- is there anything on the .net about it?

@nikerailfanningttm9046 Жыл бұрын

⁠@@TimRuffle soon. She is owned by me, and she is being revealed on July 29th 2023 to mark the Tenth Anniversary of my favorite movie.

@NorbertRoll 5 жыл бұрын

Absolutely wonderful.

@saxx001 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this, the affection the British public have for our heritage is wonderful, I remember these ladies as a kid, thank goodness we someone had the nownce to preserve such wonder, thanks again for a wonderful video.

@TimRuffle 5 жыл бұрын

I'm glad you enjoyed the video and thank you for your comment- sorry not to have noted it earlier. My dad told me the first time he ever went to Kings Cross Mallard was there.

@ChrizRockster 4 жыл бұрын

All designed on paper, probably in clouds of pipe-smoke haha. What a wonderful set of engines, sad that we will never see this gathering again.

@TimRuffle 4 жыл бұрын

There was wind tunnel testing with a Plasticene model. Apparently aerodynamics were fine but smoke clearance was non-existant (a problem never solved with the LMS's Princess Coronation streamliners) until someone picked up the model non too carefully and left a dent behind the chinmy where his thumb had squashed it out of shape. Out of desperation the model was tested anyway and suddenly smoke clearance was excellent- better than previous efforts with "semi-streamlining" and smoke deflectors as seen on the W1 and first P2s all of which were soon rebuilt with A4 style streamlining. Hope you liked the film.

@unrealrailway1592 4 жыл бұрын

Proud to be a Brit when I see this

@pim1234 4 жыл бұрын

The unloading off the trailer .... didn't expect that ! Brilliant !

@2wheels2strokes4ever 5 жыл бұрын

Beautifully filmed, and like me your frustration boils over when organisers exercise a lack of thought when placing trucks and vans.

@TimRuffle 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you. To be fair Locomotion was planned as a storage shed for the NRM before someone pointed out that opening it to the public would help meet the Museum's obligations to keep a certain percentage of the National Collection on display (and probably added "why not?"). I don't think much changed in the plans and it has always attracted many more visitors than were expected so everything has always been a bit improvised. It appears some big changes are in the works so here's hoping for some improvements. Thank you for your comment and sorry not to have noted it earlier.

@rethgrind 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for documenting this, what an event celebrating these magnificent engines

@TimRuffle 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for commenting- glad you enjoyed the film.

@RaysRailVideos 4 жыл бұрын

What a great event that was, best event the NRM has ever held and certainly the best event ever held at shildon since 1975. Glad i was there every day for that, you even got me on camera a few times lol.

@roundhousetrainspotting 6 жыл бұрын

Proper locomotives

@TimRuffle 6 жыл бұрын

I was born just before the end of steam and my memory doesn't go so far back so I make no apology for liking Diesels and shall yield to no-one in my love for Deltics. That having been said I think you have to have something amiss between the ears not to appreciate Sir Nigel's finest to some extent.

@MrsBobby-gy5of 6 жыл бұрын

TimRuffle You can keep your Deltics mate. I am sorry for you for missing out on the thrill of an A4 sounding off a mile before a station such as Grantham. The lads calling out " streak streak " The A4s in that BR green. By the way the colour of Union doesn't look quite right. My mate and I stood on Peterborough when Mallard stopped on an up passenger. The crew made our day by allowing us on the footplate .Those Were the days.nut

@TimRuffle 6 жыл бұрын

Sorry your comment didn't appear straight away- can't see why but it was flagged as spam by KZfaq. I will keep the Deltics thank you very much. I only saw them for about six months in traffic long after they were demoted to secondary services by the HSTs but they still made quite an impression. You can certainly hear a Deltic coming from a mile away and it never ceases to thrill me but I can assure you I derive no little pleasure from hearing and seeing a big kettle. I can't criticize anyone for favouring an A4 and hope you can agree with me that they're both great machines. There's a subtle difference between Union of South Africa and Dwight D. Eisenhower perhaps just because Dwight has a new paint job. There could be quite a lot of variation between individual loco's with supposedly standard liveries. Hope you enjoyed the film.

@MrsBobby-gy5of 6 жыл бұрын

TimRuffle great film must agree. Deltic v A4 don't agree also the colour of Union is deffo wrong. All the same you done a great job. Cheers Bobby.

@MrPeterwasp 4 жыл бұрын

@@MrsBobby-gy5of TimRuffle exactly the same happened to me on Peterborough North in the late fifties. I was standing on my own at the end of the platform on a Saturday morning drooling at Mallard when the driver asked me if I wanted to come up onto on the footplate. I can still feel the heat and smell the smell sixty years later!

@Dodger0103 3 ай бұрын

A truly amazing spectacle. Well done to everyone involved who arranged it.

@jeffrigden4790 4 жыл бұрын

So beautiful it bought tears to my eyes

@myriaddsystems 5 жыл бұрын

She's very endearing, and very elegant at the same time.

@SteamTrains-mv6os 3 күн бұрын

amazing bittern sounds like metal clicking though

@ShockwaveTheLogical Жыл бұрын

Went here with my dad when I were a lad. Remember it well and cherish it dearly.

@TimRuffle Жыл бұрын

I hope you enjoyed the film.

@Senna-xi1gr 4 жыл бұрын

Beautiful day I had there. I got the photo of them all but also the video is great. Thanks.👍🇬🇧

@robertvincent8198 6 жыл бұрын

Exceptional photography, wonderful to view.

@TimRuffle 6 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much for your kind words.

@robbiecook8770 4 жыл бұрын

Saw them all in service in the 50’s at Kings Cross station where I spent my youth!

@TimRuffle 4 жыл бұрын

My dad told me that the first time he ever went to Kings Cross he saw Mallard. Hope you liked the film.

@robbiecook8770 4 жыл бұрын

@@TimRuffle Sure did Tim. I was brought up in Holborn just up the road from Kings Cross/St Pancras/Euston stations. I was at senior school in Kings Cross 1957-62 so was able before school/lunch times & after to enjoy the steam era then run by British Rail. A 1d (penny) would buy you a platform ticket unless you knew the ropes & went to platform 10 which was between the main line platforms & suburban platforms. It had the best view as it was also opposite the coaling & water point that had a turntable as well to turn the engines for a return trip up north. That was in the day we had porters on the platforms & the station master always had a big coal fire burning in the grate in his office in winter. My school master (Mr Myers) always said if I paid as much attention to my school work as I did the trains I would make something of myself. He somehow got me tickets to the unveiling of the first Diesels No 1000 & 1001 by British Rail at either Battersea or Nine Elms, it was a long time ago. This was the start of the Diesels & the end of the steam days. The A4's were every lads favourite, like Silver Link, King, Sparrowhawk, Mallard, Empress of India, Union of South Africa, William Whitelaw, Kestrel & many more. I saw the full class of locomotives except there may have been a couple lost during the war years. In them days they were all in BR Green livery with no wheel coverings. Happy Days.

@paulcaswell2813 4 жыл бұрын

Mallard was a 34A locomotive in the post-war years.

@robbiecook8770 4 жыл бұрын

Paul Caswell Hi Paul, as far as I remember the 34a you refer to was their shed location & service depot. It was a small circular disc in the front of the loco. 34a if my memory is correct was for LNER north London depot around Hornsey or Finsbury Park. There were others all over the country like, Doncaster, Edinburgh, and York. It was one of out greatest delights to try & get into the sheds without being caught to see the loco’s stabled. If you got caught it was big trouble.

@paulcaswell2813 4 жыл бұрын

34A was King's Cross Top Shed. I was just remarking that Mallard would have been based at King's + and therefore would have been a common sight there!

@sureshot8399 3 ай бұрын

Locomotion is a great place. It's the best thing about Shildon, narrowly beating any road that takes you out of Shildon.

@malcolmabram2957 4 жыл бұрын

If I was wealthy I would build a museum, next to a private railway line, to celebrate the life of Sir Nigel Gresley and his team. Of course the surviving A4s would be there in the flesh.

@thatbeardedsoapguy5082 6 жыл бұрын

Excellent footage!

@TimRuffle 6 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much.

@andrewtingate6658 10 ай бұрын

Union of South Africa, my grandfather used to work that engine when it was in service.

@williamwoolhouse3702 5 жыл бұрын

I saw all of the A4s in my train spotting days the last One I saw In BR service was 60011 Empire Of India Looking Immaculate on The Elizabethan 1961.

@TimRuffle 5 жыл бұрын

ALL of them? 4469 Sir ralph Wedgewood was damage beyone repair during an air raid at York. There's a British Transport film of The Elizabethan memorable mostly for its utterly awful doggerel voiceover but worth watching and on YT. My dad tells me the first time he ever went to Kings Cross he saw Mallard. Hope you enjoyed the film.

@paulcaswell2813 4 жыл бұрын

ROFL!

@Chevroletmontecarlo 5 жыл бұрын

R.I.P mallard and bittern and south Africa you will not be forgotten and were very useful locomotives

@TimRuffle 5 жыл бұрын

Mallard's got her feet up at the NRM at the moment but you speak as if the others have disppeared. UoA is in steam and I believe Bittern is scheduled to be returned to steam. Per your other comment I was born too late to see steam in regular service so I'm something of a Diesels fan but I admit that kettles do have an indefineable grace that modern traction can't match. Don't worry Deltics- I still love you. Thank you for your comment and sorry not to have noted it earlier.

@itzmespencer 5 ай бұрын

2:26 Bittern emerging from the steam looks awesome

@DieselDudeRailway 6 жыл бұрын

Excellent video.

@russpollard576 5 жыл бұрын

Diesel Dude Railway got

@mrpaulgrimm6129 4 жыл бұрын

Beautiful Art Deco train

@peterallam6494 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your reply MG John. l think if Sir Nigel was of this age he would be referred to as a Visionary. A local here in Herts told me he lived nearby, whilst serving the LNER, at Watton at Stone which is on the Hertford loop. Think a Blue Plaque is overdue!

@robertdarcy2168 2 ай бұрын

Simply 'STUNNINIG' ❤️👌

@SelinA3080 3 жыл бұрын

What a wonderful video under such atrocious conditions, Tim. And your editing is impeccable. And aren't some people totally obnoxious, selfishly getting in the way? I think I'd go nuts. Anyway, I'm so glad a friend and I at least visited York and Shildon the previous year, although in my youth I had often travelled up to King's Cross from Hampshire and have pleasant memories of those steam-filled heydays. I've been in Germany since 1965 and thus enjoyed steam for a couple more years longer, but nothing is made to last, which is why your videos are of so much value. Many thanks and I look forward to more once Corona is beaten. Stay healthy! p.s. you share the same surname as a good friend of mine, who was for a few years Britain's if not Europe's oldest service air traffic controller!

@TimRuffle 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you. My grumbling was a bit tongue in cheek- I think everybody and his uncle has a camera or camera 'phone these days so it's unreasonable to expect everyone to keep out of everyone else's shots- though it doesn't hurt to try. Perhaps the camera itself makes a difference- I remember filming at Durham Miner's Gala in the '90s with my old MS4, a consumer level model but an impressive looking full-size S-VHS camera, and people were trampling their children to get out of my way. My dad told me the first time he ever went to King's Cross he saw Mallard. Is your friend from Essex? It's not an uncommon surname there but I've never met another Ruffle anywhere else.

@nikerailfanningttm9046 Жыл бұрын

APT-E: “hello what’s this? A gathering of the A4’s?” Mallard: “OI! Union Of South Africa, it’s APT-E!” 60009: “LMAO, don’t even talk to us kid, we’re years ahead of you”

@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329 2 жыл бұрын

It was nice to see all 6 surviving a4s to line up next to each other for the first time ever since the 1960s with mallard still the record holder of 126mph 60009 60007 and 4464 still being seen on the mainline plus 60008 and 60010 both returned back from America

@pmonkeygeezer6212 2 жыл бұрын

I was pleased to hear Bittern was scrapped recently. Cut up on the quiet and the scrap sent for melting. A fitting end to a polluting loco.

@scotsmanproductions8224 2 жыл бұрын

@@pmonkeygeezer6212 bruh their legit called “steam engines” cause their powered by steam

@pmonkeygeezer6212 2 жыл бұрын

@@scotsmanproductions8224 Steam is not polluting but what generates the steam is. Burning coal is a major greenhouse gas producer. There's a lot of CO2 made. As well as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, NOX compounds, heavy metals, arsenic, cyanide, and varoius carcinogens. So yes, coal smoke as emitted by steam locomotives along with steam is *very* polluting.

@ethaneira3597 2 жыл бұрын

@@pmonkeygeezer6212 it’s not like one engine scrap is gonna do the whole world everything

@pmonkeygeezer6212 2 жыл бұрын

@@ethaneira3597 Yes, but it is burning fossil fuel. It's setting an example to cut these up and say *No* to fossil fuel burning.

@3967742 Жыл бұрын

Great video and I got to see the 6 A4's there too.

@TimRuffle Жыл бұрын

Thank you- I'm glad you enjoyed it. There was a teriffic atmosphere with lots of families and casual visitors there and I hope I captured some sense of it.

@scopex2749 4 жыл бұрын

Bittern is so quiet and graceful!

@TimRuffle 3 жыл бұрын

Graceful yes. Quiet? 8:55.

@malcolmabram2957 4 жыл бұрын

Some things in this world, by their very nature, just demand attention.

@neilbolger2679 2 жыл бұрын

It would GREAT to see iconic loco's back together again. By chance is the Eisenhower back here now or still away . Would be great to see as well as all other A4s. Nice footage of these grand old Beasties

@TimRuffle 2 жыл бұрын

I don't know where "here" is but both Dominion of Canada and Dwight D. Eisenhower are the property of museums in Canada and the US respectively and were shipped back to their owners not so long after this was filmed. Glad you enjoyed the film.

@neilbolger2679 2 жыл бұрын

@@TimRuffle Here as in the UK Tim . Thanks for info , but it would be nice to have all A4s back together again att the NRMs

@jodirebecca100 5 жыл бұрын

I wish I could go to the uk to see the A4S buts a longggggg trip

@TimRuffle 5 жыл бұрын

Sorry to hear that. I hope this (and many other films on KZfaq) are some compensation.

@rosewhite--- 4 жыл бұрын

Silver Link on tv this morning in grim old Will Hay film 'Oh Mr Porter!'

@paulcaswell2813 4 жыл бұрын

2509 in almost original condition. Only difference from 1935 is the lengthening of the front buffer shanks and the subsequent bringing forward of the front coupling and vacuum pipe.

@CruzyMopar 3 жыл бұрын

Im from New Zealand and these Gresley a4s are phenomenal. In our own country our rail system was nothing but a joke and still is.

@TimRuffle 3 жыл бұрын

Oh I don't know about that- there may not be the demand for high speed rail but there's some outstanding railway engineering in New Zealand like the Midland Line.

@alans9806 3 жыл бұрын

You have some great routes especially Tranzalpine.

@PAVANZYL 5 жыл бұрын

I'm green with jealousy! I went to York just to see (and touch!) the Mallard!

@TimRuffle 5 жыл бұрын

My dad told me the first time he ever went to Kings Cross Mallard was on one of the trains waiting to depart. I don't have any great nostalgia for the steam age since it ended when I was a tot but I can appreciate steam loco's and this event was quite something. I hope you enjoyed the video. Flying Scotsman was at Shildon a while ago and I got on the footplate for a bit then left via the corridor tender just as I had done some 40-odd years ago in Birmingham. I could've walked down the corridor with a top hat on then but could barely get through it the other day.

@PAVANZYL 5 жыл бұрын

Yea, strange how these corridors seem the shrink with time... just like my pants.

@TimRuffle 5 жыл бұрын

You think it shrank in the wash eh?

@samsmithsonite1595 5 жыл бұрын

PAVANZYL kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gKqlfZarra_ahWg.html

@castrange 5 жыл бұрын

I feel lucky to be able able to live in york and see this train whenever I like.

@andrefalconer6537 2 ай бұрын

Truly Magnificent, To see Those A4 Engines .Wish I'd been there, & The turn Out of People again all credit, It just goes to show how Popular those steam Engine's are still after thay were Replaced with Electric & Diesels engine's, Again, Thanks to all those Guys & Ladies for supporting this Magnificent Day ? Dam it i Missed this Magnificent event, 😢

@TimRuffle 2 ай бұрын

TBH Deltics are my favourite loco's perhaps because I grew up just after steam was withdrawn and, although I only saw them in the last six months of their service lives, they made an indelible impression. This event really was quite something though.

@ivortomana 4 жыл бұрын

Great video !

@TimRuffle 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you.

@Chevroletmontecarlo 5 жыл бұрын

10:55 MALLARD AND THE GANG

@caleblindley7142 5 жыл бұрын

How have trains in the UK become so bad. Such fantastic trains, and then you see that Northern Metro train on other line, how did it ccome to that. People in years to come, looking back at this video will wonder, which is the older train. Great video.

@TimRuffle 5 жыл бұрын

Somehow the idea that a good railway network is an asset whether or not it makes money in its own right just doesn't seem to sink in. Its easy to argue that the railways need to make money on their own terms or, at least, cost the taxpayers less and indeed that's not unfair but ignores how much it costs to repair or widen roads that get hammered by thousands of cars and lorries which wouldn't be on the roads if the railways had more capacity- a bill that road tax doesn't get anywhere near covering. Politicians though (of all colours) seem to see the railways as a large and ironically slow-moving target. Glad you enjoyed the film.

@SpeciaK2954 2 жыл бұрын

I went to the great gathering July 2013 in York Museum. I was so excited and beside myself..forever grateful I got to sit in the drivers seat of Mallard..my favourite 💜💜 Can we put this beautiful A4 back on the line one day? ..Karen

@benmoorcroft4047 2 жыл бұрын

They'll never do it, I'm afraid. Last time I heard someone at the museum asked, their reply was that, due to 'currency and continuity' of the original parts, and lack of safety certificate for the boiler, it would effectively mean a complete disassembly, and replacement of almost all parts, meaning whatever took to the rails in that shape would no longer be Mallard, but effectively a replica. Add to that the whopping surcharges and carbon levies on coal these days, means that these beasts are becoming impossibly expensive to run.

@VT29steamtrain 4 жыл бұрын

One sight to behold.....

@nigeljohnson8022 4 жыл бұрын

Amazing video and I wouldn't worry about view points, you captured them perfectly. Its a shame that they didn't paint one of them in the Silver Livery, This I believe is the best livery for this class, and it would have been perfect as this is the colour they were first let loose on the Silver Jubilee Trains. Thankyou so much for sharing this. I am serving in the RAF and was overseas in the Middle East at the time so didn't get a chance to witness any of these events. I saw so much news footage, but this video captures the moment far better than any news clips.

@nigeljohnson8022 4 жыл бұрын

@@paulcaswell2813 yes I remember that.

@TimRuffle 4 жыл бұрын

IIRC none of the A4s that originally carried the silver livery (the first four or five I think) survives in preservation so it would be inauthentic- Bittern did go around disguised as Silver Link for a while and at least one person I know was quite huffy about it. Then again some people get up in arms about Flying Scotsman not being in LNER green- a livery she never carried as an A3. I'm very glad this film continues to be enjoyed. My aim was very much to give some impression of what the event was like.

@nigeljohnson8022 4 жыл бұрын

I know what you mean. Bittern looked fantastic in Silver. A friend of mine models eastern regeion around Newcastle in the 60's. He has repainted a P2 in original guise but in BR Green. These were rebuilt long before they were BR green, but like he says, it's his train set and he does what he wants. Its good to see the preserved locos in different liveries.

@nigeljohnson8022 4 жыл бұрын

@@TimRuffle You are right, the first 4 carried the Silver livery, Silver Link, Quick Silver, Silver King and Silver Fox. Those 4 were released the same time as the Silver Jubilee train

@mitchwild8238 4 жыл бұрын

Wonderful video. Thanks so much. I would have loved to have been there myself. I hate living down south.

@TimRuffle 4 жыл бұрын

It was quite an occasion and a shame you couldn't get to it or, I presume, the events at York. I hope this gave you some impression of what it was like.

@mitchwild8238 4 жыл бұрын

@@TimRuffle I didn't know about it. I was out of touch with these important events. I still am to some extent.

@mrpaulgrimm6129 4 жыл бұрын

I saw the Eisenhower train at the Green Bay rail museum years ago .

@TimRuffle 4 жыл бұрын

Have you seen her since she got back from Britain? The NRM did a terrific job of restoring her and Dominion of Canada.

@nontandteefamily 2 жыл бұрын

I wish mallard would return to steam or just even disguise bittern or sir Nigel Gresley it would nice to see the name mallard on a working a4

@TimRuffle 2 жыл бұрын

Restoring Mallard to running order for the 75th anniversary was discussed at the NRM. The argument agains doing so was, in a nutshell, "We're already restoring the most famous locomotive in the world [Flying Scotsman of course]- it would be foolish to compete with ourselves by restoring the second most famous." I do see the point. Of course the restoration of Flying Scotsman dragged on and on long past the anniversary soaking up millions of pounds which raises another point- there's little of the original locomotive left now. I genuinely think there's a case for giving the original loco's a dignified and well-earned retirement and build replicas which, in Flying Scotsman's case anyway, would probably not cost much more than her restoration.

@RailroudHobby 4 ай бұрын

Awsome video

@TimRuffle 4 ай бұрын

Thank you very much. I hope it captures some of the atmosphere at the event and I'm pleased that people are still enjoying it. I'm less pleased that it has ad's now- particularly since I don't have any say in the matter and nor do I get even a meagre share of the proceeds.

@RailroudHobby 4 ай бұрын

@@TimRuffle yea thads sad but but everyone has thad problem it seems me included and i am from netherlands its world wide

@acrobaticcripple8176 6 жыл бұрын

Just seen this video on KZfaq. The thought that was constant concerned the sight of a subdued, intensely powerful, Beautiful machine reduced to tugging 3 brake wagons about in order to beg for crumbs!.. At the very least couldn't there have been a couple of coaches available? That way the begging could have been for crusts! OR. Nowt to tug at all and be proud!!!

@TimRuffle 6 жыл бұрын

You could also see it as showing off to fans during a graceful retirement. I'm not sure a coach would be a better option- you couldn't stand on the veranda and get a faceful of steam if you so wished for example.

@lizlawrence4553 11 ай бұрын

Nothing wrong with goods brake vans. Locos not begging for crumbs. Enthusiasts prefer goods brake vans see more of the locomotive . You're comment is rather stupid.

@HaddaClu 5 жыл бұрын

The A4 are only a little bit smaller than the PRR K4s. That has me wondering what type of performance gains would the class see if they were to be fitted with stokers. When the PRR did a trial with two K4s being fitted with stokers, it was shown that there was a significant increase in pulling power and fuel economy.

@paulcaswell2813 4 жыл бұрын

Stokers have been tried in Britain - but with the reverse findings from the PRR. Coal was swallowed up to no good effect!

@Polak-dd7ds 6 жыл бұрын

Too bad, I will never get to see the A4s together, because I never made it to any of the gatherings.

@MrDaiseymay 4 жыл бұрын

this is second best, but better than NOT hearing, and seeing them, move.

@DreamKeeper. 3 жыл бұрын

As an American I am absolutely jealous of British steam locomotives. Hoping there’s a time where I can go visit some day and hopefully take a ride on one

@Danthehorse 5 ай бұрын

I'm a complete new and really excited to get into this hobby. what gauge would you suggest? I don't have heaps of room, and I would like to end up with sound and fine control over speed. Are the Hornby sets decent value or not ? loving your vids, sorry for all the question! thank you

@TimRuffle 4 ай бұрын

If you mean model railways you're probably most familiar with OO Gauge (or HO if you're pretty much anywhere other than Britain). N-Gauge is about half the scale of OO/HO so takes up roughly a quarter of the room and can accept DCC chips with sound which is surprisingly effective given the size of the speakers. Not cheap though. I've been getting into Train Simulator on my PC and have dozens of routes and many different trains from different countries (mostly Britain since that's what I'm interested you won't be surprised to learn) all of which has cost me no more than one model loco' with DCC sound! I love model railways but the cost is eye-watering these days and no layout is going to be big enough to represent even the even the shortest route I have never mind the thousands of miles my whole collection covers. Hope you enjoyed the film of these decidedly _not_ model loco's.

@danhudson4614 3 жыл бұрын

By the age of ten I was sick and tired of trains! My parents volunteered on a railway and spent my early years either on trains or hunting for 'ghost trains' or stations following every part of the M&GN lines most weekends! . Now I wish I'd taken more of an interest as I appreciate how special this event was historically and I only just found out it even happened! Thanks for sharing this, great video and clearly much hard work has gone into the editing, great job!

@camerynjoseph1520 6 жыл бұрын

My favorite a4 I think was sir nigel gresly

@TimRuffle 6 жыл бұрын

Currently being overhauled at the NRM- on public view I believe.

@samsmithsonite1595 5 жыл бұрын

Cameryn Joseph kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gKqlfZarra_ahWg.html

@lukeslocomotives 4 жыл бұрын

I hope sir nigel is back in service before number 9s ticket runs out in april

@wisconsinandnorthwesternra8381 6 жыл бұрын

I live about 20 minutes away from the Eisenhower

@samsmithsonite1595 5 жыл бұрын

Wisconsin and Northwestern Railroad kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gKqlfZarra_ahWg.html

@malcolmabram2957 4 жыл бұрын

Its amazing when out of all things it is a steam engine that is a landmark.

@MrDaiseymay 4 жыл бұрын

@@samsmithsonite1595 send a vid over

@steves5172 4 жыл бұрын

Many happy memories of Darlington station in the fifties as a schoolboy watching trains on the way to and from school. Thank you for uploading!

@TimRuffle 4 жыл бұрын

The closest I get to that is using the Weardale and Teesdale Network in the '60s route in Train Simulator. Glad you liked the film.

@fezachary4519 5 жыл бұрын

I am sure that those who have the love of trains planes will have the love of Great Britain post Brixit. . To keep our country safe and remain GREAT. I am now too old to help but I cry for my country in her time of need. Take care all you people

@martinwatkinson6430 6 жыл бұрын

I was at the great Gathering in york

@TimRuffle 6 жыл бұрын

I've got to get to the NRM again. Locomotion is literally ten minutes away so I'm there all the time but York isn't that far and I haven't been in... Cripes- 30 years or so now I think about it. Not to the Museum anyway.

@flangepipe1 3 жыл бұрын

Nothing better

@b.a.n.a.8631 6 ай бұрын

My favorite one there is sir Nigel gresley😏

@brickleyyard4966 Жыл бұрын

It will never happen but would cool to see all six in steam for the 100th

@ianforfun1 5 жыл бұрын

I think that 'Clanking' sound is from the injector valve that feeds water from the Tender into the Boiler and in an ingenious way and it operates even if the Locomotive is stationary. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injector

@TimRuffle 5 жыл бұрын

Interesting- thanks for the note. I didn't hear it coming from the other loco's though. Sorry I didn't reply earlier

@Night_Star6248 5 жыл бұрын

So much for going to 150th anniversary of big boy

@TimRuffle 5 жыл бұрын

Not sure what to make of this. Assuming you mean the loco weren't they built in the '40s?

@Night_Star6248 5 жыл бұрын

Oh sorry I edited this a month ago and I meant golden spike anniversary

@T16MGJ 4 жыл бұрын

There's more. Hands up all those like me "bunked" Kings X MPD and others to see these magnificent machines quietly hissing away waiting for the next fast tour of duty up Norf? Guilty M'Lud... When I did this there were no staff to be seen anywhere. Other Motive Power Depots ( I visited most ) always had staff on hand to chase you off. Never caught though. Very fit and nippy in my late teens and with my Triumph Motor Cycles ( The Triumphs like those A4s, 3s,2s etc .. More Tru-Brit Steel ) As a Nation we used to make some half-decent stuff and them some ~ where did it all go right?

@lgbrosgaming735 2 жыл бұрын

Best title ever:,,long goodbye (short)

@TimRuffle 2 жыл бұрын

Perhaps I should change it. There's much more footage so potentially a longer version could be made but that doesn't really come across. Hope you enjoyed the film.

@lgbrosgaming735 2 жыл бұрын

@@TimRuffle 😂it’s funny That is says long goodbye but then it also says (short)

@Electricfox 4 жыл бұрын

Is the valve like device just above the nameplate to direct steam to the whistle? Seems to leak a bit of steam at the same time the whistle is used.

@TimRuffle 4 жыл бұрын

I see what you mean. Don't know but it wouldn't surprise me if you were right.

@bitesizedcreations8020 6 жыл бұрын

well i am not big rail fan but i just realized since i've seen A4 locos before that some have there side rods covered and some don't... interesting

@TimRuffle 6 жыл бұрын

All A4s were built with valances over the wheels as part of the streamlining but they were removed to ease maintenance during the War when speed was not the priority. In preservation some have been restored to pre-War condition with valances. The North American loco's exemplify the difference with Dominion of Canada sporting valances and single chimney as she was when presented with her bell and she's in LNER Garter Blue like Bittern and Mallard. Eisenhower on the other hand was restored to the British Railways Green she had on withdrawal so the valances were not replaced. Sir Nigel Gresley seems to muddy the waters in this video being blue though lacking valances but she's actually in the short-lived blue livery BR applied to express locomotives. She's being overhauled at the moment so who knows what she'll look like.

@samsmithsonite1595 5 жыл бұрын

justin libby kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gKqlfZarra_ahWg.html

@Steamerthesteamtrain 6 жыл бұрын

I wish Eisenhower was restored to operate here in the USA.

@TimRuffle 6 жыл бұрын

It'd be nice. Next to most US rolling stock you'd probably have to look twice to spot the loco'. Is she back next to the Big Boy at the US Railway Museum? I'm told she looked like a toy in comparison.

@Steamerthesteamtrain 6 жыл бұрын

Yes it came back, an A4 might be smaller than most modern American steam. but i wouldn't say that if anything 19th century locomotives are like toys small and cute.

@984francis 6 жыл бұрын

It might help if Eisenhower the man was restored to operate either here or in the UK. God help us all.

@TimRuffle 6 жыл бұрын

No comment.

@wisconsinandnorthwesternra8381 6 жыл бұрын

TimRuffle actually it’s called the National Railroad Museum

@MRnarumaki Жыл бұрын

6 a4s remain as of 2022. Out of 35, only six. No one really in-depth looks into a4s. The average train guy only knows the a4 for mallards speed record. My grandfather was around at the time that mallard and her class was grand spanking new. My favorite a4 is number 60009 which also appeared in this video at 4:43 I love engines like this. Scotsman mey have 2 tenders and be the main character in the steam engine trilogy that started in 1800 but she will never be the best. The a4s will always manage to outshine her.

@meanman55 6 жыл бұрын

Much more proper than any locomotive my country (America) has ever put out.

@TimRuffle 6 жыл бұрын

The US never really had a need for anything like this but it has produced some magnificent loco's. Personally I love a big honest freight lugger like the Standard Class 9F or the old Q6s and Q7s that were ubiquitous in this area and I'd add the Big Boy and a few other splendid US kettles to the list.

@meanman55 6 жыл бұрын

I’m just not a fan of how industrious our locomotives look. I much prefer the sleek elegance of British locomotives. Or perhaps I’m just biased. I mean, I enjoy the Q1s more than any American locomotive.

@TimRuffle 6 жыл бұрын

I assume you mean the Southern Railway Q1 which is a very different animal from the North Eastern heavy freight loco's. The LNER had a letter/number system for its loco's where the letter referred to the wheel arrangement with different classes designated by number so A was 4-6-2 Pacifics including the A4s here of course. Q was applied to 0-8-0 loco's. O.V.S. Bullied (SR Chief Mechanical Engineer) was quite forward thinking and interested in Continental and US practice adopting anything he thought would make his loco's easier to build and maintain. This was especially true of his Q1 built under Austerity conditions during the War. The class has never been chiefly admired for its aesthetics over here.

@meanman55 6 жыл бұрын

I do mean the “Ugly Duckling” in this case. I can appreciate it for what it is, even though it’s not the most appealing locomotive ever built. I’m not sure why I can enjoy them over our own industrial locomotives, but I guess it’s how I view it. I’ve always been impressed with the way British locomotive designers worked around problems. Over here, we usually just made our engines bigger until it did what we wanted it to. It made them look too ugly for my liking. Sorry if I seem childish in my remarks

@sgt2dog 6 жыл бұрын

US produced some of most powerful Steam Locomotives in the world, they had to be as even steam locomotives pulled nearly a mile in freight cars. The Baldwin 2-6-6-2T tractive effort was 38,000. Boiler pressure 200, was used to haul Red Wood Logs. Think of the weight of uncured red logs. Bolt right up to 1929. I won't argue against British Steam, but American Steam is no slouch. Maybe you should study American Rail. I'm enjoying learning about British Rail. Cousin cross the Sea.

@thesignalman_ytofficial 2 жыл бұрын

I was there!

@bobm3712 4 жыл бұрын

Well done. Would of loved to be there . USA engines are not so elegant,great looking locos,

@TimRuffle 4 жыл бұрын

Maybe I'm biased but I'd have to agree though there certainly are some handsome US kettles and most have an impressively purposeful look about them. Glas you enjoyed the film.

@jarhead4God 5 жыл бұрын

Are those three cars next to the engine (BITTERN) CABOOSES?@8:22

@TimRuffle 5 жыл бұрын

We call them brake vans in Britain or guard's vans but yes. The Guard who rode in it monitored the train and looked out for trouble much as the caboose crew would do but also had a handbrake he could use to add brake force and control coupling slack as appropriate on goods trains when not all wagons had running brakes which was well into the 1980s here.