#2475

LNER Class A4

🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by Doncaster Works· from 1935· class of 35 streamlined three-cylinder 4-6-2 steam locomotives

10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. 4464 Bittern at Kidderminster (7): Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK· CC BY 2.0
2. Up Capitals Limited express on the ECML at Wymondley, south of Hitchin 2282866: Ben Brooksbank· CC BY-SA 2.0
3. Hugh llewelyn 60113 (7852213406): Hugh Llewelyn· CC BY-SA 2.0
4. 60014 Silver Link Doncaster Works: Phil Sangwell· CC BY 2.0
5. The 'World's Fastest Steam Locomotive' , 'Mallard' with a transitional number, at King's Cross in 1948 - 2283205: Ben Brooksbank· CC BY-SA 2.0
6. 60027 64B 1950: David P Williams· CC BY-SA 4.0
7. Stationschef kijkt vertrekkende trein na op Waverley Station, Bestanddeelnr 254-3521: Willem van de Poll· CC0
8. 4488 York 1938: David P Williams· CC BY-SA 4.0
9. LNER A4 Class pacific No. 4490 "Empire of India" at Kings Cross (12001516716): Barry Lewis· CC BY 2.0
10. Trein op Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station, Bestanddeelnr 254-3694: Willem van de Poll· CC0

what is it?

The LNER Class A4 is a class of streamlined 4-6-2 steam locomotives designed by Nigel Gresley for the London and North Eastern Railway in 1935. Their streamlined design gave them high-speed capability as well as making them instantly recognisable, and one of the class, 4468 Mallard, holds the record as the world's fastest steam locomotive. Thirty-five of the class were built to haul express passenger trains on the East Coast Main Line route from London King's Cross via York to Newcastle, and later via Newcastle to Edinburgh.

who runs it

London and North Eastern Railway British Rail Eastern Region of British Railways North Eastern Region of British Railways Scottish Region of British Railways

base stats

speed 203 km/htop speed
weight 104 tin working order
built 35made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

First built 91 years ago, in 1935.
Top speed is 1.6× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
At full speed it would cover Amsterdam–Utrecht (≈ 40 km) in 12 minutes.
Weighs about as much as 17 African elephants (~6 t each).
21.6 m long: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.
Served for 31 years (1935–1966).

steam locomotive: Burns coal, wood or oil to boil water; the steam drives pistons that turn the wheels.

spec sheet

built: 1935–1938
in service from: 1935
retired: 1966
status: preserved
number built: 35
kind: Steam
traction: steam
origin: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
builders: Doncaster Works
designer: Nigel Gresley
operators: London and North Eastern Railway, British Rail, Eastern Region of British Railways, North Eastern Region of British Railways, Scottish Region of British Railways
top speed: 203 km/h
power: —
gauge: 1,435 mm standard gauge
wheel arrangement: 4-6-2
length: 21.6 m
weight: 104 t
nicknames: "Streak"

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q938253, Wikipedia: LNER Class A4 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.