Yes. It is interesting how the different set of wheels changes the character of the loco.
As a 2-8-2 it is a brute of an engine totally at home at the front of a long train of scruffy wagons.
As a 4-6-2 it has an elegance about it, appropriate for a semi-fast suburban train, and if it shared the Gresley 3-cylinder arrangement of his pacifics, it would be capable of some quick get-aways from stations, and a fair turn of speed in between.
My understanding of the raised footplate is that it was designed to clear the valve gear (rather than the wheels), allowing easy access for lubrication and maintenance. It is also aesthetically pleasing, is a signature part of a Gresley design, and contributes to a consistent corporate image in the loco stud. The raised footplate, and the double window cab are the most obvious things which tell you that the loco body is LNER.
Kip
Mystery Locomotive
Moderators: 52D, Tom F, Rlangham, Atlantic 3279, Blink Bonny, Saint Johnstoun, richard