Mallard’s sister locomotive gets up a fine head of steam (From York Press)

Union of South Africa locomotive gets up a fine head of steam

7:54am Saturday 20th October 2012 in News

CELEBRATORY plans are under way to mark 75 years since Mallard broke the world speed record for steam.

Mallard’s sister locomotive Union of South Africa set off from York yesterday to travel to Locomotion, the National Railway Museum at Shildon, to meet up with her transatlantic sisters, the newly repatriated Dominion of Canada and Dwight D Eisenhower.

It was a rare sight to see a line-up of all three, offering railway and photography enthusiasts the opportunity to capture all three LNER A4 Class locomotives together.

Dwight D Eisenhower, on loan from the National Railroad Museum Wisconsin, will be making the return journey to York’s NRM early next month where she will be painted in the museum workshop to ensure she is looking her best for an international family reunion for all six surviving A4 locomotives in July 2013 to mark the 75th anniversary.

There are only six surviving A4 locomotives in preservation, with Union of South Africa being a privately owned locomotive and one of the three remaining operating A4s in the UK.