Farewell No. 9
Destined for a future on static display only, ‘A4’ No. 60009 has now worked its last train on both the main line and in preservation, a boiler tube leak scuppering plans for it to see out the last few months of its certification at the East Lancashire Railway.
No. 60009 Union Of South Africa shows off its sleek lines at Bury, East Lancashire Railway, on May 30 – the loco having carried this green livery through its later BR years and all through its time in preservation. It was due to have its operational finale at the line’s Autumn Steam Gala on October 15-17, but its unfortunate failure with water tube issues in early October meant it could only be on static display.
ROBERT FALCONER
THE failure of popular ‘A4’ No. 60009 with boiler tube issues at the start of October means there is currently no working ‘A4’. The streamlined loco is one of six survivors from the original LNER fleet of 35, with four already in museums (Nos. 60008 in the USA, 60010 in Canada, 60019 in Margate and 60022 in the NRM, York), although happily No. 60007 is approaching the end of an extensive overhaul that should see it back on the main line next year with Locomotive Services.
No. 60009 (LNER Nos. 4488, 590 and 9) was built in 1937 and was originally intended to carry the name Osprey as part of the fleet’s bird-named series, but this was changed to Union of South Africa in recognition of that country gaining full sovereignty in 1931.