#1947
LNER Gresley Classes A1 and A3
🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by Doncaster Works· from 1922· London and North Eastern Railway 3-cylinder 4-6-2 locomotives
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10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. LNER Pacific 4474 on King's Cross turntable (CJ Allen, Steel Highway, 1928): Andy Dingley (scanner)· Public domain
- 2. Hugh llewelyn 60056 (7852218430): Hugh Llewelyn· CC BY-SA 2.0
- 3. 60056 Centenary Class A3 4-6-2 Pacific at Kings Cross 30th June 1962: Steve Knight· CC BY 4.0
- 4. 17AHuntingdon 60059TraceryR: John of Paris at English Wikipedia· CC BY 3.0
- 5. A1 60122 Curlew 2.10pm Kings Cross-Hull 30 June 1962: Steve Knight· CC BY 4.0
- 6. A3 60110 Robert the Devil on Kings Cross shed 30th June 1962: kitmasterbloke· CC BY 2.0
- 7. Flying Scotsman express, 2547, Doncaster (CJ Allen, Steel Highway, 1928): Andy Dingley (scanner)· Public domain
- 8. Night Scotsman awaiting departure from King's Cross (CJ Allen, Steel Highway, 1928): Andy Dingley (scanner)· Public domain
- 9. LNER A3 Pacific, 2580 Shotover (CJ Allen, Steel Highway, 1928): Andy Dingley (scanner)· Public domain
- 10. LNER pacific passing GNR somersault signal (CJ Allen, Steel Highway, 1928): Andy Dingley (scanner)· Public domain
what is it?
The London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Gresley Classes A1 and A3 were 4-6-2 "Pacific" steam locomotives designed by Nigel Gresley for passenger service. They were initially intended for use on the Great Northern Railway (GNR), but became a standard design on the LNER after the amalgamation of 1923. The change in class designation from A1 to A3 reflected the fitting to the same chassis of a higher pressure boiler with a greater superheating surface and a small reduction in cylinder diameter, leading to an increase in locomotive weight and power.
who runs it
base stats
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 104 years ago, in 1922.
- 21.3 m long: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.
steam locomotive: Burns coal, wood or oil to boil water; the steam drives pistons that turn the wheels.
spec sheet
- built
- 1922–1935
- number built
- 79
- kind
- Steam
- traction
- steam
- origin
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- builders
- Doncaster Works, North British Locomotive Company
- designer
- Nigel Gresley
- operators
- London and North Eastern Railway, Great Northern Railway, North Eastern Region of British Railways, Scottish Region of British Railways, Eastern Region of British Railways
- top speed
- —
- power
- —
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- wheel arrangement
- 4-6-2
- length
- 21.3 m
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q619307, Wikipedia: LNER Gresley Classes A1 and A3 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.