LNER Peppercorn Class A2
Encyclopedia
The London and North Eastern Railway
(LNER) Peppercorn Class A2 is a class of steam locomotive
designed for express passenger work by Arthur Peppercorn
, the chief designer of the LNER after Edward Thompson
. All save the first of the 15 built were constructed under British Railways after nationalisation in 1948.
The design was a move towards modernity, with features such as a self cleaning smokebox and electric lighting. Several featured a Double Kylchap Blastpipe
. On the A2s it swiftly proved its worth with significant improvements in steaming capability and fuel economy.
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|526
|60526
| Sugar Palm
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|527
|60527
| Sun Chariot
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|528
|60528
| Tudor Minstrel
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|529
|60529
| Pearl Diver
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|530
|60530
| Sayajirao
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|531
|60531
| Bahram
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|—
|60532
| Blue Peter
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|60533
| Happy Knight
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|60534
| Irish Elegance
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|60535
| Hornets Beauty
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|60536
| Trimbush
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|60537
| Bachelors Button
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|60538
| Velocity
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|60539
| Bronzino
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, ranging from New England (Peterborough
) in the south to Edinburgh's Haymarket. In 1949 five were put to work on the Edinburgh
-Dundee
-Aberdeen
route and proved the ideal engines for its stiff gradients and sharp curvature. The A2s also worked to Perth
, Glasgow
, Carlisle
, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and occasionally more southerly outposts. In 1963 Nos.60525, 60530 and 60535 surprisingly crossed the LNER-LMSR divide and were allocated to a Glasgow
depot, Polmadie
. They replaced ex-LMS Coronation Class over the ex-Caledonian Railway
route to Carlisle
.
The swansong of the A2 though, came in eastern Scotland with many memorable performances over the Aberdeen road during the early 1960s. However it was on Stoke bank in Lincolnshire in 1961, the location of Mallard
's 1938 world speed record, that No.60526 Sugar Palm achieved 101 mi/h. Withdrawal of this fine class of locomotive began in the following year. Neither 60526 nor No.60525 A. H. Peppercorn, named after the third and last Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway
, has been preserved.
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
(LNER) Peppercorn Class A2 is a class of steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
designed for express passenger work by Arthur Peppercorn
Arthur Peppercorn
Arthur Henry Peppercorn, OBE was the last Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway.- Career :...
, the chief designer of the LNER after Edward Thompson
Edward Thompson (engineer)
Edward Thompson was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway between 1941 and 1946.- Biography :Edward Thompson was the son of an assistant master at Marlborough College. He was educated at Marlborough before taking the Mechanical Science Tripos at Pembroke College,...
. All save the first of the 15 built were constructed under British Railways after nationalisation in 1948.
Construction
The first of the Peppercorn A2s No.525 A.H.Peppercorn was outshopped from Doncaster in December 1947 on the eve of nationalisation. The modernity of the design was immediately apparent. The first two of the class were turned out in LNER apple green livery and this colour was also applied to the next 13 engines delivered between January and August 1948. Repainting in British Railways Brunswick green began the following year.| LNER 1946 Nos | BR Nos | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 525 | 60525 | 1947 |
| 526-31 | 60526-31 | 1948 |
| - | 60532-9 | 1948 |
The design was a move towards modernity, with features such as a self cleaning smokebox and electric lighting. Several featured a Double Kylchap Blastpipe
Kylchap
The Kylchap steam locomotive steam locomotive exhaust system was designed and patented by the famous French steam engineer André Chapelon, using a second-stage nozzle designed by the Finnish engineer Kyösti Kylälä and known as the Kylälä spreader; thus the name KylChap for this design.The Kylchap...
. On the A2s it swiftly proved its worth with significant improvements in steaming capability and fuel economy.
Stock list
Only No. 525 was technically built during LNER ownership, but 526-31 received LNER 1946 numbers. From 60532 onwards, the A2s received BR numbers from new, BR numbers being the LNER 1946 numbers with the addition of 60000. They were named after racehorses.| LNER No. | BR No. | Name | Entered Service | Withdrawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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A. H. Peppercorn Arthur Peppercorn Arthur Henry Peppercorn, OBE was the last Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway.- Career :... |
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| Sugar Palm
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| Sun Chariot
Sun Chariot (horse)
Sun Chariot was a good Thoroughbred racehorse that won the Fillies Triple Crown series of races.She was bred by the National Stud and raced for King George VI. Sun Chariot was a filly of great talent but very difficult temperament...
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| Tudor Minstrel
Tudor Minstrel
Tudor Minstrel was a British-bred Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. He was sired by Owen Tudor, the 1941 Epsom Derby winner.Ridden by Gordon Richards, in 1947 Tudor Minstrel won the 1 mile long 2,000 Guineas by 8 lengths, the largest winning margin in the race since 1900...
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| Pearl Diver
Pearl Diver
Pearl Diver was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career which lasted from 1946 and 1948 he ran thirteen times and won four races...
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| Sayajirao
Sayajirao
Sayajirao was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. A full brother to 1945 Epsom Derby winner, Dante, he was out of the mare Rosy Legend and sired by the great Nearco who is described by Thoroughbred Heritage as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important...
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| Bahram
Bahram (horse)
Bahram was an Irish-bred English-trained racehorse who was undefeated in his racing career winning the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, St. Leger Stakes and Epsom Derby which earned him the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.-Breeding:...
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LNER A2 Class 60532 Blue Peter
LNER Peppercorn A2 Class No. 60532 Blue Peter is the sole survivor of 15 locomotives of the 4-6-2 Peppercorn A2 Class, designed by Arthur Peppercorn of the LNER...
| Blue Peter
Blue Peter III
Blue Peter was a British bred Thoroughbred racehorse whose career was cut short by the outbreak of World War II. He won the Epsom Derby and was later a Leading broodmare sire in Great Britain & Ireland....
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| Happy Knight
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| Irish Elegance
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| Hornets Beauty
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| Trimbush
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| Bachelors Button
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| Velocity
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| Bronzino
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Service
Initially the A2s were based at depots the length of the East Coast Main LineEast Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
, ranging from New England (Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
) in the south to Edinburgh's Haymarket. In 1949 five were put to work on the Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
-Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
-Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
route and proved the ideal engines for its stiff gradients and sharp curvature. The A2s also worked to Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Carlisle
Carlisle railway station
Carlisle railway station, also known as Carlisle Citadel station, is a railway station whichserves the Cumbrian City of Carlisle, England, and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line, lying south of Glasgow Central, and north of London Euston...
, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and occasionally more southerly outposts. In 1963 Nos.60525, 60530 and 60535 surprisingly crossed the LNER-LMSR divide and were allocated to a Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
depot, Polmadie
Polmadie
Polmadie is a district of Glasgow, a city in Scotland. Polmadie is situated south of the River Clyde, and adjacent to the Gorbals....
. They replaced ex-LMS Coronation Class over the ex-Caledonian Railway
Caledonian Railway
The Caledonian Railway was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century and it was absorbed almost a century later into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in the 1923 railway grouping, by means of the Railways Act 1921...
route to Carlisle
Carlisle railway station
Carlisle railway station, also known as Carlisle Citadel station, is a railway station whichserves the Cumbrian City of Carlisle, England, and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line, lying south of Glasgow Central, and north of London Euston...
.
The swansong of the A2 though, came in eastern Scotland with many memorable performances over the Aberdeen road during the early 1960s. However it was on Stoke bank in Lincolnshire in 1961, the location of Mallard
LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard
Number 4468 Mallard is a London and North Eastern Railway Class A4 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive built at Doncaster, England in 1938. While in other respects a relatively typical member of its class, it is historically significant for being the holder of the official world speed record for steam...
's 1938 world speed record, that No.60526 Sugar Palm achieved 101 mi/h. Withdrawal of this fine class of locomotive began in the following year. Neither 60526 nor No.60525 A. H. Peppercorn, named after the third and last Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
, has been preserved.
Withdrawal
Withdrawal occurred between 1962 and 1966. The last three 60528 Tudor Minstrel, 60530 Sayajirao and 60532 Blue Peter were retired in June 1966.| Year | No. withdrawn | Nos |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 8 | 60526/9/31/4/6-9 |
| 1963 | 2 | 60525/33 |
| 1964 | 0 | - |
| 1965 | 2 | 60527/35 |
| 1966 | 3 | 60528/30/2 |