GNR Class A1 1470 Great Northern

The Great Northern Railway GNR Class A1 1470 Great Northern was the first of 52 A1 class locomotives. It has also represented three distinct stages in the history of the British 4-6-2 "Pacific" steam locomotives designed by Nigel Gresley. For the Great Northern Railway (GNR), a constituent company of the London and North Eastern Railway before the amalgamation of 1923, for which they became a standard design. Eventually Great Northern was completely rebuilt as Class A1/1.

History

Great Northern is historically significant because it was the first Pacific to be built by the Great Northern Railway as a prototype of the new '1470 class'. It was also the only original A1 to not be rebuilt by the LNER as an A3. However it was still renumbered by replacing the first two numerals to '44' making the number 4470. The locomotive was named Great Northern in honour of the GNR (Great Northern Railway). Just after WWII, Great Northern was completely rebuilt by Edward Thompson as his A1/1.

Liveries

As built, Great Northern was painted in GNR apple green with brown framing. In October 1923, it was repainted into LNER lined apple green with black framing. This livery had two variations, one with 'LNER 1470N' on the tender, and the other variant had only "LNER" on the tender and 4470 on the cab sides. Finally, in February 1942, it was repainted plain black, lettered "LNER". In July 1942, the LNER started using the simplified lettering "NE" on black locomotives, and 4470 may have been so treated after that date.^[2][3][4]

The locomotive originally bore its number 1470 on the cab side. When first repainted into LNER livery, the number was altered to 1470N, which was placed on the tender, below the letters "LNER". In March 1925, it was renumbered 4470, and at some point after May 1928, the number was moved back to the cab sides.^[5][4]

Rebuild

Great Northern was rebuilt once in its career, by the LNER to the design of Edward Thompson to become his A1/1.

Models

Hornby released a OO gauge model of Great Northern as built in early LNER style apple green livery with black framework, and original tender with "LNER 1470N" written on both sides. L.H Loveless & Co also released an O gauge model of Great Northern in its original GNR Apple Green Livery with a brown chassis and framework.

References

• Boddy, M.G.; Fry, E.V.; Hennigan, W.; Proud, P.; Yeadon, W.B. (July 1963). Fry, E.V., ed. Locomotives of the L.N.E.R., part 1: Preliminary Survey. Potters Bar: RCTS. ISBN 0-901115-11-8. 
• Boddy, M.G.; Neve, E.; Yeadon, W.B. (April 1973). Fry, E.V., ed. Locomotives of the L.N.E.R., part 2A: Tender Engines - Classes A1 to A10. Kenilworth: RCTS. ISBN 0-901115-25-8. OCLC 315757685. 
• Groves, Norman (1992). Great Northern Locomotive History: Volume 3b 1911-1922 The Gresley Era. Lincoln: RCTS. ISBN 0-901115-70-3.