60027 Merlin

[Kestrel]

Did anyone see 39 steps on Ch 4 today?

An A4 (couldn't see number) pulled a train of mixed maroon and 'blood and custard' carriages out of King's Cross but later you saw 60027 Merlin pulling the train out of Edinburgh.

Some of you may have more info.

[richard]

(I've moved this post to General LNER: It isn't news. As a general comment to everyone: Recently we've been getting a lot of general or non-news posts which have been cluttering the News forum).

re. 39 Steps: There's a thread about LNER references on TV and in movies - we also have a page in teh article section which lists them. As well as an A4, I think there's a Peppercorn Pacific? (for those in the US, the Kenneth More version of 39 Steps is now available for online streaming at Netflix)


Richard

[Deepol]

Did anyone see 39 steps on Ch 4 today?

An A4 (couldn't see number) pulled a train of mixed maroon and 'blood and custard' carriages out of King's Cross but later you saw 60027 Merlin pulling the train out of Edinburgh.

Some of you may have more info.

[sandwhich]

I have a question as regards the engine. In the summer of 1960 or 61 I believe Merlin worked the Elizabethan for most of the summer up one day and back the next in many cases 4 trips a week 1600 miles per week 400 miles a day non stop. I remember trainspotting rushing to KX after school and spending many days at the same place during the August holidays waiting to see this train to only see Merlin. Yes other engines no doubt must have worked this train but I must have missed them. This engine must have been very reliable and of course well kept to be able to work this train for many weeks on end. Could someone tell me if this engine did indeed accomplish this task.

[60027Merlin]

Like all the Haymarket pacifics the A4s were kept in excellent mechanical and external condition.

In the 1960 Elizabethan season Merlin ran in all but two of the trains. In the 1958 season it ran on 40 and in the 1959 season the number was 63. Haymarket on average used 3 A4s each year for the Non-Stop however Merlin was used the most often with a total of 189 turns on it from 1953 to the final year of 1961. Union of South Africa and Commonwealth of Australia were the 2nd. and 3rd. respectively most used.

[sandwhich]

Thank you 60027 Merlin for the information on this engines exploits on the Elizabethan, I never saw 60012 on this train but did see it at the Cross on another occasion, probably ex Doncaster running in, I have been told that the only Haymarket A4 not used on this train was 60004 William Whitelaw. But the exploits of 60027 over a number of years was no doubt remarkable to say the least.

[60027Merlin]

Sandwich,

For your info, William Whitelaw was used by Haymarket on The Elizabethan during the years when the Non-Stop went under that name (1953 - 1961) but of their 7 A4s it was used the least.

In addition, Merlin holds the record for the number of runs in that time and also the record for the most consecutive runs which occurred in 1960 being 46 in number.

We all took these times for granted back then, just glad that we saw them. - pure magic!

[sandwhich]

This month marks the 50th anniversary of the final withdrawal of the A4 pacifics from service 60019 & 24 were the last in service, but I believe 60027 Merlin also lasted towards the end, all good things must end but BR Scottish Region had the good sense to use up to fifteen of these fine engines and probably in many cases got at least two more good years work out of them.