#lner a3 class

[the-time-lord-oracle]

Super power on the East Coast Main Line in 1953; 60086 Gainsborough and 60075 St. Frusquin double head a train of empty coaching stock on the four-track section between Thirsk and Northallerton. The double heading was likely a positioning move, as a single A3 would have been more than enough for empty stock. Pay close attention to the two A3s' boilers and you can see that Gainsborough is a left-hand drive example, being one of those built new as A3s between 1928 and 1935, while St. Frusquin is right-hand drive, being one of those originally built as an A1 between 1922 and 1925 and rebuilt as an A3 between 1927 and 1948. Initially, the A3s rebuilt from A1s retained right-hand drive, but all were subsequently converted to left-hand drive from 1954 onwards.

[the-time-lord-oracle]

60082 Neil Gow ex-works following an overhaul at Doncaster works in the 1950's. Note that the loco is still right-hand drive in this photo, dating it to the earlier part of the 1950's, as the A3s rebuilt from A1s were converted to left-hand drive from 1954 onwards.

[the-time-lord-oracle]

68015 Kev Helmer and 60103 Flying Scotsman at Birmingham Moor Street, 18/02/2026.

[the-time-lord-oracle]

60103 Flying Scotsman at Birmingham Moor Street, 19/02/2026. For the next three days, Flying Scotsman will be working shuttles between Moor Street and Dorridge.

[the-time-lord-oracle]

Flying Scotsman waits to depart King's Cross with the 1:15pm to Leeds on January 14th 1963. This was her final day in BR service and the 1:15pm was her final service train. The day after, she was officially withdrawn from service and handed over to Alan Peglar for preservation. Peglar was on the footplate for her final run and a huge crowd turned up to see her off into her new life. In fact, at King's Cross, there were even people standing on the tracks in those pre-health and safety days!

[the-time-lord-oracle]

60103 Flying Scotsman sweeps through Solihull in fine style, 18/02/2026.

[the-time-lord-oracle]

60110 Robert the Devil at Hadley Wood with the Yorkshire Pullman in May 1961. New MK1 Pullmans make up the majority of the train and the A3 has a double chimney, which she received in 1959, but she hasn't yet been fitted with German-style smoke deflectors. These would be fitted in July 1961. A funny story about this engine is that she was once assigned to work a special train for a party of churchgoers. Apparently, someone at the running department decided to play a joke on them and allocate this engine, figuring that the name would wind them up. History doesn't record what the churchgoers thought of the joke. Either they took umbrage or they had a sense of humour and took it in good stride.

[the-time-lord-oracle]

A triumvirate of LNER Pacifics at King's Cross shed in the late 1950's; Peppercorn A1 No. 60117 Bois Roussel, Gresley A4 No. 60033 Seagull and Gresley A3 No. 60108 Gay Crusader (Yes, that really was the locomotive's name!)