Mallard

22 Comments CherryPie on Nov 23rd 2011

22 Responses to “Mallard”

  1. JD says:

    Sir Nigel Gresley’s masterpiece, a real work of art :)
    when I were a lad…… we used to place halfpennies on the line and after one of these A4 class locomotives whizzed by we would scramble up the embankment and collect our …… ‘pennies’
    :)
    shopkeepers were never fooled though….

  2. Mats says:

    Beautiful! Lovely colors.

  3. It’s a beauty! Great shots!

  4. MTG says:

    Less that ugly and prejudical coronation badge, this was the favourite machine of boyhood and frontpiece to the Big Book of Trains. Will always cherish it.

  5. CalumCarr says:

    Ah!!!

    In the very early 60’s I saw Mallard several times on the way to Perth from Edinburgh – having previously come up from London – and then on the return back to Edinburgh. Each day there would be a “star” of an engine passing through Dunfermline on this route. Dream time!

    • CherryPie says:

      I bet that was a great sight. I used to live next to a railway line and occasionally a steam train used to pass by which was always impressive.

      If it was quiet I could the trains several minutes before they passed by my window.

  6. It looks like a giant millipede to me, C.
    Not a mallard. ;)

  7. Andrew says:

    Awesome engineering.

  8. jameshigham says:

    Streamline – gets the pulse racing.

  9. Frida says:

    And with a crown on top.

  10. J_on_tour says:

    Arguably the most famous and best loved engine of all time. I once travelled a the sister engine (Sir Nigel Gresley) & it was an awesome experience to see the magnificence of the huge sleek structure steaming away at the platform and round the curves as it progressed along the track.

  11. Steve Hayes says:

    Didn’t this one hold the world speed record for steam locomotives?

    We live next to a railway line and steam locomotives still pass occasionally. They are owned by Rovos Rail, which runs luxury train tours. The steam locomotives only take them a few stops down the line, however, and then they switch to diesel, as all the water tanks and coal bunkers have been removed.

    • CherryPie says:

      Yes the Mallard is the holder of that record.

      I do miss not living next to a railway, I loved listening to the trains approaching from the distance.