- Class: A4
- Designer: Sir Nigel Gresley
- Wheel Arrangement: Pacific
- Built: 1937
- Numbers Carried: 4498, 60007
- Last Overhaul Completed: 2023
- Operated: October 2024
- Present Location: Crewe
- Owned By: The Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust
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60007 Sir Nigel Gresley has been a celebrity locomotive since it was named after its designer at London Marylebone in 1937, being the 100th locomotive built by both the Great Northern Railway/London & North Eastern Railway. Its illustrious career saw it at the head of a press train for the re-launch of the ‘Flying Scotsman’ service in 1938, being employed to open the BR Locomotive Testing Station at Rugby in 1948 and hauling the Royal Train in 1956 with Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on board.
The locomotive gained the number 4498 from new in 1937, transferring over to her current number, 60007, when the LNER (London & North Eastern Railway) was brought under nationalisation as British Railways in 1948.
The undoubted climax, however, was when it set the official post-war speed record for steam traction of 112 mph on 23rd May 1959 when working a Stephenson Locomotive Society railtour from London Kings Cross to Doncaster and back, driven by the legendary Top Link driver Bill Hoole. The particular trip is forever captured in audio thanks to the work of Peter Hanford & Argo/Transcord Records- this amazing recording of the return run where the record was set can be found here from the 13:23 mark on the video. Another interesting note is that the tender attached to 60007 on that trip was also used by 60103 ‘Flying Scotsman’ when the A3 officially broke the 100 mph record in 1934! 60007 has also only had a speedometer fitted to the locomotive six days prior to this famous record breaking run!
The working career of Sir Nigel Gresley spanned from Kings Cross ‘Top Shed’ in 1937 (which it again was based between 1950 to 1963) Grantham and New England (Peterborough) sheds before transferring over the border to Scotland- St Margarets and Aberdeen Ferryhill depot where she was withdrawn February 1st 1966, having completed 1,328,734 miles in 29 years active service.
The Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust was formed in 1964 and purchased 60007 from British Railways in 1966, returning it to mainline operation after a full overhaul at Crewe in 1967. 60007 also played a key part of returning steam to London in the 1980s, where BR ran special charter trains from London Marylebone through the Chilterns, alongside other mainline locomotives such as 4468 ‘Mallard’ 46229 ‘Duchess Of Hamilton’ 35028 ‘Clan Line’ and others. The locomotive has remained active and immensely popular on the mainline and heritage lines across the UK and has recently returned to working order in 2023.
The locomotive is currently based at Crewe and is operated between the SNGLT and Locomotive Services Ltd. The Bluebell Railway again thanks the SNGLT for allowing this iconic and historic locomotive to visit our railway for the first time ever, and to take a starring role in this year’s Giants Of Steam gala.
