I know that yesterday was the press launch day before Azuma public services start tomorrow, but for many photographers there the real star of the show was the Mallard.
Mallard was built in 1938, and within a few months of entering service was used on a test run where it achieved the world steam speed record of 126 mph. There is a plaque half way along the boiler to commemorate the event.
Today, as a historical exhibit, Mallard rarely leaves the railway museum. It's last outing was in 2013 to mark the 75th anniversarry of its world record run, when it was displayed with other locomotives of the same type (including two repatriated from North America) at the railway museum outstation at Shildon, near Darlington. It is said to be 30 years since it last stood in the railway station at York.
I'm sure in 1938 this train was considered to be very futuristic. I'm amazed that it was able to get such speeds back then. This is a nice tribute to a piece of history.
Thank you all for your comments and favs, which put this shot on the Popular Page!
Although it was great to see Mallard out of the railway museum, it would have been even better to have seen it working, rather than being towed by two diesel locomotives. I can always dream!
fav
Thank you all for your comments and favs, which put this shot on the Popular Page!
Although it was great to see Mallard out of the railway museum, it would have been even better to have seen it working, rather than being towed by two diesel locomotives. I can always dream!
Ian
Ian