Gresley A4 Pacific No. 60009 'Union of South Africa' on The Bluebell Railway

This Gresley A4 Pacific locomotive, No. 60009 'Union of South Africa', is shown on the Bluebell Railway in Sussex at Sheffield Park and East Grinstead stations, on Friday 12th October 2018.
She was built in Doncaster in 1937 and is the only operational A4 of six survivors. She is currently mainline certified until April 2019, when she is expected to be permanently withdrawn. She was named 'Osprey' for a short time during the height of the South African apartheid period, but reverted back to 'Union of South Africa'.
Although decorated in many different colour schemes throughout her life time, since 1952 and throughout preservation she has only appeared in British Railways Brunswick Green, as seen here.
'Union of South Africa' was allocated to Haymarket shed in Edinburgh from new and in May 1962 she had her only shed transfer to Aberdeen.
On 24th October 1964 she hauled the last booked steam-hauled train from Kings Cross. She was the last loco to be overhauled at Doncaster whilst in service and was withdrawn from British Rail service on 1st June 1966.
in May 1994 she arrived at Bridgenorth for repairs. The route that she took from Makinch, Scotland resulted in her being the only steam locomotive to cross both the Forth Road Bridge and the Forth Railway Bridge. She left the Severn Valley Railway after repairs in 2007, returning to Scotland for main line rail tours. After further extensive overhaul she returned to steam in mid 2012.
On 9th September 2015, 60009 hauled a train carrying H.M. Queen Elizabeth II along with Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh and Nicola Sturgeon the Scottish First Minister, to re-open officially the Borders Railway between Edinburgh Waverley and Tweedbank. The locomotive subsequently operated rail tours on the same line throughout the remainder of September 2015.
60009 'Union of South Africa' is due to be withdrawn from steam early in 2019.
During its career 60009 'Union of South Africa' worked all 9 named expresses that used to operate to, from and through Edinburgh's Waverley Station. During the three days of the locomotives visit to the Bluebell Railway, each of these was recreated. On the day of filming the service names carried were 'The Aberdonian', 'The Elizabethan' and 'The Flying Scotsman'.
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Copyright © 2018 S Keeler
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[@Gribbo9999]

I remember seeing this loco passing over viaduct at West Timperley in about 1960, I was about 10. I was a train spotter and this was really just a serendiptitous siting. So much so I still remember the number nearly 60 years later. I don't know why she was there. I never ever saw another Pacific class in that area near Manchester. Isn't You Tube amazing that I can just type in "60009 Gresley" and see her again? - in steam no less in the same green livery as I remember. !

[@AndyB59]

Such a shame she is in her last few months of steam. She truly is a magnificent locomotive.Thanks for posting.

[@ianstewartaviation2634]

Stunning loco thanks for sharing

[@Red-rl1xx]

That's really neat!

[@DjDenKot]

yeah

[@DjDenKot]

cool