46229 DUCHESS OF HAMILTON

[Keelman]

Photographed from a view point just to the west of Blaydon railway station which in now obscured by trees the Duchess is skirting the river as she heads westwards on the Tyne Valley Line on March 16th 1985. Her journey on this day started at Kings Cross and terminated at Carlisle

Staniers Coronation Class were handsome locomotives introduced in 1937, their streamlined appearance was influenced by the recent appearance of Nigel Gresley's streamlined Class A4 on LNER metals. In a move which began in 1946 the Duchess of Hamilton and her class had their streamlined casings removed and smoke deflectors fitted.

Following her withdrawal from BR service in 1964 Duchess of Hamilton was sold to Butlins who put her on display at their Minehead Holiday Camp. The years spent at this seaside location saw deterioration of the locomotive setting in, and looming maintenance costs. In 1975 Butlins signed a twenty year loan agreement for the engine to be taken into the care of the National Railway Museum at York, where she became a static exhibit following cosmetic overhaul
A popular desire to see the engine running on main lines again was realised following a successful appeal for funds. After a substantial overhaul of the engine her outright ownership passed from Butlins to the NRM. Finally, back in steam in 1980 she hauled the first of many trips back on BR metals
In 1998 the locomotive was returned to static display at York where she remains to this day, looking splendid in Crismon livery, and with her streamlined profile reinstated

[northeast]

She will have crossed the Tyne twice!

[Keelman]

George
A video on Youtube shows the Duchess on the King Edward Bridge heading southwards out of Newcastle, I presume therefore that the train had crossed the Tyne into Newcastle Central station via the High Level Bridge and then joined the Tyne Valley line, proceeding through Dunston.
After passing through Hexham the line crosses the South Tyne three times before it finally leaves the vicinity of the river after Haltwhistle

[E28]

As you stated Malcolm she is now streamlined in York...

https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.o ... locomotive

Has been off the iron now for 28 years. Must'nt ruin that paint job, but what a phenomenal bit of kit.

[northeast]

I am not a fan of that streamlining, it just seems 'over the top' and too much disguises the essential nature of the loco .... the LNER's more modest scheme still leaves us looking at a loco, not a rather gaudy fairground attraction. Looks much better 'unmasked'.

[Hornbeam]

Totally agree NE looks like a mobile proboscis, a sign of those times a bit like having more Funnels on a Passenger Ship than were actually needed, on one vessel being used as Dog Kennels. Doing-a simple job like changing a faulty drain valve on one of the cylinders time would have to be added to remove the tin work or trying to change the valve through a “flap”, a bit like trying to paper the Hall through the Letterbox, I wonder how much weight the “Tin work” added to the Locomotive.
Much prefer the streamlined “Streaks”.
Don’t scratch the Paintwork, could be a sackable offence.

[northeast]

What's the car doing there next to DoH in NRM?
PPS,TTFN

[hartlepoolmonkey]

Slightly more up to date on this one - and following a stay at Locomotion,The National Railway Museum in Shildon for almost two years, the LMS Princess Coronation Class engine 6229 (46229) "Duchess of Hamilton" left on January 31st, 2014 and returned to the National Railway Museum in York.

[northeast]

Should be called Red Bull with wings like that!

[hartlepoolmonkey]