THE memory of a man who once drove the Mallard locomotive will live on.

Alf Smith, drove the locomotive in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

He was a well-known driver based at the Top Shed at King’s Cross and the Mallard will bear the nameplate A.E.SMITH once again on its way to its new temporary home at the National Railway Museum’s sister site, Locomotion, in Shildon, County Durham.

His grandson, Simon, who lives in Herefordshire, said: “Seeing grandad’s nameplate next to Mallard today brought a tear to my eye, knowing it will be soon travelling on the footplate. To the family it will be as if he was back ‘cabside’ himself, just as he was pictured by the Daily Mirror in his prime.”

Today, the NRM is showing off Mallard alongside Tornado, the first locomotive to be built in 50 years. On Wednesday, Mallard will travel to Shildon down the mainline for the first time in 22 years.

Simon was joined by former Mallard fireman Ken Willetts from Grantham who told him what it was like to fire the record breaker alongside a driver like Alf Smith.

Steve Davies, NRM director, said: “We’re hoping in the run up to Mallard’s departure more people with a special connection to the locomotive like Simon will get in touch with their stories.”