This was taken about a minute walk away from Eskbank Station. A very interesting looking train. Anyone know which train that is in the image. Never seen one like it ??. I grew up in Penicuik and always thought it was fascinating it used to have a railway line back in the day. The railway path is now a walkway which takes you all the way to Dalkeith. There are still old bits left from when it was active. I’ll try to get more pics later. There was proposals to build a new train station years ago in Penicuik but never heard anymore about it. Maybe it was to be a part of the Borders Railway but not too sure. Anyone on here been to Penicuik before ??. Would be cool to hear.
Is that not the fastest steam train? (I know the record-setter was called Mallard and was blue but it looks like it's from the same family or class)
That's a London & North Eastern Railway A4 class steam locomotive. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNER_Class_A4 A member of this class #4468 'Mallard' holds the (somewhat controversial) world speed record achieved by steam traction when it reached a top speed of 126 mph.
It's one of many record holders that have graced the East Coast Mainline (the superior UK mainline) and the Eastern Region more generally. First Public railway in the world - The Stockton & Darlington in 1825 A3 - Fastest steam loco. 108mph in 1935. A4 - Fastest steam loco. 126mph (some say controversially) in 1938. Class 55 "Deltic" - Broke the fastest single diesel loco record c1978. 110 mph - though it's also been unofficially clocked at 125mph on a run down Stoke Bank. Class 40 - First regular diesel loco passenger service in the UK (London to Norwich) 1958. HST - Not unique to the ECML but broke diesel engine records when it hit 148.5 mph on test on the ECML in 1987 Class 91 - Fastest electric loco record - 161.7mph on test on the ECML in 1989. Class 302 UK's first (now standard) 25kV AC passenger service (Clacton and Colchester) in 1959 Class 309 - First express 25kV AC EMUs and first to reach 100 mph, though has an unofficial speed record of 108mph while running a special on...you've guessed it, the ECML in 1989. The LMR had the highly successful APT and the wonderful arch at Euston that they demolished in 1962, Southern held it's own "Southern only" EMU high speed record on third rail with the Class 442 at about 108mph and the Western Region had nice architecture and civil engineering but had a history of unreliable locos until the HST arrived. The Eastern Region, the superior British Rail region. I'm proud to have worked on it.
Oh man that’s sound brilliant. Thanks for sharing this. I love hearing about these things. It always fascinates me. That’s cool you worked on the Eastern Region too. You must be very proud. Next time I’m down that path I’ll try get more pics. There’s parts of the walkway you can tell used to be the train station etc. There’s one at Roslin which is amazing. The platform is still there. There’s a bench you can sit at and enjoy listening to the birds as it’s surrounded by woodland. Some tunnels too which is brilliant.
