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Record: 10235 (26/09/2023)
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Numbers Carried
Company Number Date From
London and North Eastern Railway (1943) 4463 on 27/11/1937
London and North Eastern Railway (1946 1st) 602 on Not applied
London and North Eastern Railway (1946 2nd) 18   15/09/1946
British Railways 60018   16/10/1948

Names Carried
Date From Name
27/11/1937 SPARROWHAWK

Liveries Carried
Colour Lining Date From
LNER Garter blue Narrow red and white 27/11/1937
LNER Black Unlined - NE on tender 22/08/1943
LNER Garter blue Narrow red and white 28/12/1946
BR Blue Black and White 05/04/1950
BR Green Orange and Black 04/10/1951

Locomotive Specifics
Designer N. Gresley
Class A4
Company History LNER
Wheels 4-6-2
Builder Doncaster Works
Order Number 341A
Works Number 1865
Fittings (as built)
Engine Brakes Vacuum
To Service Wed 27/11/1937
Withdrawal Wed 19/06/1963 off Gateshead (52A)
Service Life 25 yrs, 6 mths , 23 dys

Disposal
Scrapping Wed 10/07/1963 at Locomotive Works (Doncaster)

Tenders
Type Number From Company Water Coal
Streamlined Non-Corridor 5668 27/11/1937 LNER 5,000g 8t 0cwt

Notes
Notes Into Doncaster Works for cutting up 10/7/63

Allocations
Code Subsequent Codes Name From Date
    (New) on 27/11/1937
GHD   Gateshead on 14/12/1937
HTN   Heaton on 26/10/1940
GHD   Gateshead on 28/03/1943
HTN   Heaton on 03/05/1943
GHD   Gateshead on 03/11/1945
     Withdrawn on 19/06/1963

SLS Allocations*
Type Code Name From Date
WDN   on 19/06/1963

* Stephenson Locomotive Society data - raw and not yet cross-referenced
Modifications
Date Modified Modification
27/11/1937 Diagram 107 boiler fitted (number 9019)
01/11/1941 Side skirting removed
22/08/1943 Diagram 107 boiler fitted (number 8949)
21/10/1948 Diagram 107 boiler fitted (number 9020)
05/04/1950 Diagram 107 boiler fitted (number 9028)
01/05/1953 Long guard irons removed
01/05/1953 Diagram 107 boiler fitted (number 29294)
17/11/1954 Diagram 107 boiler fitted (number 29312)
17/04/1956 To 75% Cut-off
17/04/1956 Diagram 107 boiler fitted (number 29311)
05/10/1957 Double Chimney fitted
05/10/1957 Diagram 107 boiler fitted (number 29320)
19/11/1958 BR Automatic Warning System (AWS) fitted
14/03/1959 Diagram 107 boiler fitted (number 29282)
17/02/1961 Speedometer fitted
17/02/1961 Diagram 107 boiler fitted (number 29270)


Works Visits
Works Stopped Entry Departure Duration Level of Work Actual Mileage
Doncaster Works 18/06/1938 23/06/1938 6 days Light Repair    
Doncaster Works 05/01/1939 20/02/1939 47 days General    
Doncaster Works 27/03/1940 11/05/1940 46 days General    
Doncaster Works 18/09/1941 01/11/1941 45 days General Side skirting removed
  
Doncaster Works 08/06/1942 27/06/1942 20 days Light Repair    
Doncaster Works 01/08/1942 08/08/1942 8 days Light Repair    
Doncaster Works 14/07/1943 22/08/1943 40 days General Boiler number 8949 (Diagram 107)
Painted Wartime unlined black with NE lettering on tender
  
Doncaster Works 29/10/1943 20/11/1943 23 days Light Repair    
Doncaster Works 29/11/1944 09/02/1945 73 days General    
Doncaster Works 20/11/1946 28/12/1946 39 days General Painted Garter blue with black frames, red wheel centres and narrow red and white lining.
  
Doncaster Works 28/08/1948 21/10/1948 55 days General Boiler number 29298 (Diagram 107)
Renumbered to BR 60018
  
Doncaster Works 23/01/1950 05/04/1950 73 days General Boiler number 29295 (Diagram 107)
Painted BR Blue for steam locomotives, with broad black, inlaid with thin white lining.
  
Doncaster Works 28/08/1951 04/10/1951 38 days Heavy Intermediate Painted Green with orange and black lining.
  
Doncaster Works 01/11/1951 20/11/1951 20 days Unclassified    
Doncaster Works 16/01/1952 07/02/1952 23 days Light Casual    
Doncaster Works 07/08/1952 19/08/1952 13 days Unclassified    
Doncaster Works 30/03/1953 01/05/1953 33 days General Boiler number 29294 (Diagram 107)
Long guard irons removed
  
Doncaster Works 07/10/1954 17/11/1954 42 days General Boiler number 29312 (Diagram 107)
  
Doncaster Works 02/03/1956 17/04/1956 47 days General Boiler number 29311 (Diagram 107)
To 75% Cut-off
  
Doncaster Works 23/08/1957 05/10/1957 44 days General Boiler number 29320 (Diagram 107)
Double Chimney fitted
  
Doncaster Works 08/11/1958 19/11/1958 12 days Light Casual BR Automatic Warning System (AWS) fitted
  
Doncaster Works 26/01/1959 14/03/1959 48 days General Boiler number 29282 (Diagram 107)
  
Doncaster Works 27/11/1959 11/12/1959 15 days Light Casual    
Doncaster Works 29/01/1960 23/02/1960 26 days Light Casual    
Doncaster Works 03/06/1960 12/07/1960 40 days Light Casual    
Doncaster Works 21/10/1960 11/11/1960 22 days Light Casual    
Doncaster Works 09/01/1961 17/02/1961 40 days General Boiler number 29270 (Diagram 107)
Speedometer fitted
  
Doncaster Works 05/08/1961 12/08/1961 8 days Light Casual    
Darlington Works 06/08/1962 10/08/1962 5 days Unclassified Tender and cab doors repaired
  

Mentions ...
Report Date Title Report Source
01/10/1948 Doncaster Works Locomotives under repair here on 1/10 included Nos. 8, 37, 87, 98, 516/19, 1092, 1107/09/12/24, 60007/18/19/20/60, 60635 an 61120. SLS/194811
08/10/1948 Doncaster Works Locomotives noted ready to leave Works were Nos. 60007, painted garter blue; 60516, green; 61120, black and lined, while 60877, 60961, 61804 an 63479 were plain black. Locomotives awaiting Works included:-Nos. 48, 1121 an 1902 while those under heavy repair included Nos. 8, 18, 19. 37, 78, 98, 513/19, 932/62, 1092, 1107/24, 1869, 2116, 7350 an 9999. Condemned locomotives on the dump were:-Nos. 2126/98 an 4107. Withdrawn 'C.1' Class Nos. 3274 an 3285, fitted with tall chimneys, extra- coal space, etc., were noted supplying steam to the Crimpsall Erecting Shop; it also appeared that Nos. 2821 (3293) and 4419 might also be similarly fitted and soon put to a similar use where required. It is understood that sixteen of the new 'A.1's' are to be built at Doncaster and twenty-three at Darlington. SLS/194812
30/04/1950 Doncaster Works Class A.1 named include 60120 Kittiwake, 60133 Pommern, 60141 Abbotsford in, April; other engines through Doncaster Plant included A.1 60122; A.2 60500/12/39; A.3 60039/43/54/94; A.4 60018/20/1/3; V.2 60814/20/32/65/67/80/97, 60912/14; K.3 61802/22/24/46/61/67/77, 61947/69/85; B.17 61634; C.12 67366; K.5 61863 (light repair); B.1 61036/83/95, 61113, 61267. Some exchanges of 'Pacifics' and 'Green Arrows' are afoot on account of A.T.C. trials on the G.N. Section. SLS/195006
17/09/1956 The Talisman Over the early part of September 1956, thoughts of many people who are interested in the East Coast Route have been returning to that unforgettable day 21 years ago-27/9/1935. On this day the 'Silver Jubilee' express train, then a startling innovation in rail travel, made its public. debut. A few days earlier many of us had risen early in the morning to go and look at the brand new streamlined A4 Pacific ' Silver Link,' which had come up from Doncaster to Kings Cross and was running in on an early morning Cambridge train. Our reactions to the new style outline and the silver grey colouring were mixed and although we had unbounded confidence in Sir Nigel Gresley, the events of that epoch-making day exceeded our wildest dreams.
There is no need to recount in detail the trial trip. Suffice to say that 'Silver Link' in the capable hands of Driver Arthur Taylor achieved a record for steam traction that has never been approached before or since and Great Western invincibility was shattered for all time. No less than 43 miles were covered at an average speed of 100 m.p.h. and a maximum of 112½ m.p.h. was twice attained between Hitchin and St. Neots.
Ingrained in one's memory is the triumphant return of the train to Kings Cross in the early evening, where hosts of newspaper reporters were assembled. As the great engine came to a stand in platform 4, Sir Nigel Gresley descended from the footplate, waving his famous chronograph 'of vast dimensions,' as it has been described, crying '112 miles an hour, 112 miles an hour!'
Since that day, of course, the A4 Pacifics have achieved many things which will live in history.
Now, after less fortunate days in railway history, the Eastern Region of British Railways has introduced a new express between London and Edinburgh and named it 'The Talisman.' This new service leaves each capital city at 4-0 p.m. on Mondays to Fridays, reaching the end of its 393 mile journey, after one stop at Newcastle, in 6 hours 40 minutes. The train consists of eight coaches, including one of the fine first class twins formerly used on the 'Coronation,' all painted in the recently adopted dark red shade. The tare weight of this train is 274 tons.
In the weeks preceding the inaugural runs, on 17th September, there had been much speculation as to what engines would be employed. Few genuinely interested observers doubted that A4's would be selected, and so it proved. The arrangements are that Kings Cross takes the 4-0, p.m. down to Newcastle and hands over there to Haymarket off the 4-0 p.m. ex Edinburgh, the up train being worked from Newcastle to London by Gateshead engines and men.
Present day operating troubles had aroused doubts as to whether the new service could be run to time, so the outcome of the first day's runs are interesting to relate. On the down run, Kings Cross provided 60025 'Falcon,' with driver P. Heavens and notwithstanding eight signal checks they made a gross time of 271¼ minutes to Newcastle. Here 60031 'Golden Plover' took over for the final 124½ miles to Edinburgh, which were covered in 123¼ minutes with two relaying and two signal checks. Coming southwards the inital run was made by 60019 'Bittern' and several checks resulted in a 5 minute late arrival after a very fast finish.
The second up run on 18th September was fully covered by recorders who had gone down the first day and they were not disappointed; 60031 having run them to Newcastle in slightly over 126 minutes, after delays amounting to 7 minutes, they were then treated to a truly great performance by driver Kipling of Gateshead on 60018 'Sparrow Hawk.' Three dead stands, three signal checks and four relaying checks were encountered and still the train was 4 minutes early into Kings Cross, giving a nett time of only 236 minutes for the 268¼ miles or only 1 minutes longer than allowed in pre-war days on the 'Coronation.' Allowing for the fact that driver Kipling is a stranger to the section Grantham-London, which was run in darkness, we may truly say to him 'Tis a far, far better thing you have done than you have ever done before.'		 SLS/195611

Summary
Date Event Details Source See Also
27/11/1937 To Service To service as London and North Eastern Railway Number 4463, name: SPARROWHAWK
Built at Doncaster Works, Works Number 1865
Livery applied: Garter blue with black frames, red wheel centres and narrow red and white lining.
Tender fitted: Streamlined Non-Corridor
Diagram 107 boiler fitted		    
14/12/1937 Allocation Reallocated to Gateshead (GHD)    
18/06/1938 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (Light Repair) - Arr: 18/06/1938. Dep: 23/06/1938.    
05/01/1939 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (General) - Arr: 05/01/1939. Dep: 20/02/1939.    
27/03/1940 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (General) - Arr: 27/03/1940. Dep: 11/05/1940.    
26/10/1940 Allocation Reallocated to Heaton (HTN)    
18/09/1941 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (General) - Arr: 18/09/1941. Dep: 01/11/1941.
Work undertaken:
Side skirting removed
    
08/06/1942 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (Light Repair) - Arr: 08/06/1942. Dep: 27/06/1942.    
01/08/1942 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (Light Repair) - Arr: 01/08/1942. Dep: 08/08/1942.    
28/03/1943 Allocation Reallocated to Gateshead (GHD)    
03/05/1943 Allocation Reallocated to Heaton (HTN)    
14/07/1943 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (General) - Arr: 14/07/1943. Dep: 22/08/1943.
Work undertaken:
Boiler number 8949 (Diagram 107)
Painted Wartime unlined black with NE lettering on tender
    
22/08/1943 Livery Change of livery to Wartime unlined black with NE lettering on tender    
29/10/1943 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (Light Repair) - Arr: 29/10/1943. Dep: 20/11/1943.    
29/11/1944 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (General) - Arr: 29/11/1944. Dep: 09/02/1945.    
03/11/1945 Allocation Reallocated to Gateshead (GHD)    
1946 Number Allocated Allocated number 602 but not taken up    
15/09/1946 Renumbered Renumbered to 18    
20/11/1946 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (General) - Arr: 20/11/1946. Dep: 28/12/1946.
Work undertaken:
Painted Garter blue with black frames, red wheel centres and narrow red and white lining.
    
28/08/1948 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (General) - Arr: 28/08/1948. Dep: 21/10/1948.
Work undertaken:
Boiler number 29298 (Diagram 107)
Renumbered to BR 60018
    
23/01/1950 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (General) - Arr: 23/01/1950. Dep: 05/04/1950.
Work undertaken:
Boiler number 29295 (Diagram 107)
Painted BR Blue for steam locomotives, with broad black, inlaid with thin white lining.
    
28/08/1951 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (Heavy Intermediate) - Arr: 28/08/1951. Dep: 04/10/1951.
Work undertaken:
Painted Green with orange and black lining.
    
04/10/1951 Livery Change of livery to Green with orange and black lining.    
01/11/1951 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (Unclassified) - Arr: 01/11/1951. Dep: 20/11/1951.    
16/01/1952 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (Light Casual) - Arr: 16/01/1952. Dep: 07/02/1952.    
07/08/1952 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (Unclassified) - Arr: 07/08/1952. Dep: 19/08/1952.    
30/03/1953 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (General) - Arr: 30/03/1953. Dep: 01/05/1953.
Work undertaken:
Boiler number 29294 (Diagram 107)
Long guard irons removed
    
07/10/1954 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (General) - Arr: 07/10/1954. Dep: 17/11/1954.
Work undertaken:
Boiler number 29312 (Diagram 107)
    
02/03/1956 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (General) - Arr: 02/03/1956. Dep: 17/04/1956.
Work undertaken:
Boiler number 29311 (Diagram 107)
To 75% Cut-off
    
23/08/1957 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (General) - Arr: 23/08/1957. Dep: 05/10/1957.
Work undertaken:
Boiler number 29320 (Diagram 107)
Double Chimney fitted
    
08/11/1958 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (Light Casual) - Arr: 08/11/1958. Dep: 19/11/1958.
Work undertaken:
BR Automatic Warning System (AWS) fitted
    
26/01/1959 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (General) - Arr: 26/01/1959. Dep: 14/03/1959.
Work undertaken:
Boiler number 29282 (Diagram 107)
    
27/11/1959 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (Light Casual) - Arr: 27/11/1959. Dep: 11/12/1959.    
29/01/1960 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (Light Casual) - Arr: 29/01/1960. Dep: 23/02/1960.    
03/06/1960 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (Light Casual) - Arr: 03/06/1960. Dep: 12/07/1960.    
21/10/1960 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (Light Casual) - Arr: 21/10/1960. Dep: 11/11/1960.    
09/01/1961 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (General) - Arr: 09/01/1961. Dep: 17/02/1961.
Work undertaken:
Boiler number 29270 (Diagram 107)
Speedometer fitted
    
05/08/1961 Works Visit Works Visit - Doncaster Works (Light Casual) - Arr: 05/08/1961. Dep: 12/08/1961.    
06/08/1962 Works Visit Works Visit - Darlington Works (Unclassified) - Arr: 06/08/1962. Dep: 10/08/1962.
Work undertaken:
Tender and cab doors repaired
    
19/06/1963 Withdrawn Condemned as 60018 from Gateshead (52A)    
10/07/1963 Scrapped Broken up by Locomotive Works: Doncaster    

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