John Cameron’s ‘A4’ No. 60009 Union of South Africa visited destinations as far apart as Plymouth, London and Edinburgh towards the end of 2018.
On December 8 it was on familiar territory with a Railway Touring Company Christmas markets excursion from York to Edinburgh and return.
The train worked north over the East Coast Main Line to ‘Number 9’s’ home city for much of its LNER/BR career.
No. 60009’s main line ticket expires later this year and sights like this are unlikely to be repeated as the locomotive is due to go on static display after its boiler certificate has expired.
There are currently no other ‘A4s’ passed for main line operation, with No. 4464 Bittern in store at the former Hornby factory in Margate, No. 60009 Sir Nigel Gresley under overhaul at the National Railway Museum in York and the three other locomotives (Mallard, Dominion of Canada and Dwight D. Eisenhower) on static display in museums in York, Canada and the USA.
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