What was the route taken by the A4 Class LNER Mallard?

Question

Did she ever come to Carlisle

Answer 1

The answer you will find is in your question! LNER stud for the: London North Eastern Railway & the route is what we now know as the East Coast Mainline running from Kings Cross through Peterborgh, Grantham, Doncaster, York, Newcastle, Durham, Berwick (Berwick - upon - Tweed) then onto Edinburgh.

I hope this helps.

Joolz

Answer 2

Mallard used to run on the East Coast main line (London to Edinburgh).

It was on the flats of Lincolnshire that it set its world record speed for a steam train which still stands today.

It may have come to Carlisle on a PR exercise, but was not normally in service on the West Coast line.

Answer 3

East coast mainline. London Kings Cross to Edingburgh Waverly. Carlisle was on the West Coast mainline, LMS. During 1948 floods trains had to use West Coast mainline especially Settle/Carlisle route. Hence Mallard may have passed via Carlisle during this time.

Answer 4

Mallard didn't get as far as Carlisle during the 1948 trials. She was used on the Southern Region but failed after a run out of Waterloo and was replaced by 60033 Seagull (which had already been modified for use in the trials).

However, I wouldn't be surprised if Mallard had got as far as Carlisle at some point in the 1950s or 1960s. After all, I believe that 35012 United States Lines, a Merchant Navy Pacific normally found no further north than London, did once get to Carlisle on a railtour.

Some other A4 Pacifics survived on the Scottish Region into 1966. I wouldn't be surprised if some of those - although I stress Mallard had been withdrawn by then - got to Carlisle.

The route of the Mallard on her record-breaking run on 3rd July 1938 was from just north of Grantham down to London. She touched 126 mph descending Stoke Bank near the villages of Little Bytham and Essendine.

The picture sourced below (http://geoff-plumb.fotopic.net) isn't of Mallard but of another A4 on the way to Carlisle in 1964. The one "VisitCumbria.com" has a picture of Union of South Africa at Carlisle a couple of years ago. The one "Merlinsgallery.fotopic.net" has got some pictures of Mallard on the way to Carlisle but in 1988 not 1938

Answer 5

the only gresley A4 that made it to carlisle according to my record books was the Nigel Gresley in the 80's on an outing from hull. I'll keep checking

Answer 6

In agreement with the other respondents, the East Coast mainline was her usual route.

The world record was actually achieved descending Stoke Bank , just north of Peterborough. there is a sign to this effect plus an outline  of the loco in metal.

As for Mallard's trip to Carlisle, was this part of the 1948 loco exvhanges just after nationalisation