Mallard is the world's fastest steam engine, holding a speed record of 126 mph. Mallard is a very popular exhibit at the National Railway Museum in York and is very well looked after. Mallard is one of six surviving A4s.
Biography
Gordon was jealous when he heard about high-speed diesel engines on the Other Railway and boasted that he can go faster. He would refer to how one of his Doncaster cousins, Mallard, reached the speed of 126 mph.[1]
Mallard was one of the many engines Thomas met when he was invited to visit the National Railway Museum. When a special railtour to the seaside was announced, the other engines were upset when Mallard argued that he should be chosen to pull the train. He stated that the seaside place helped to pay for his repairs prior. In the end, Green Arrow and Thomas chosen.[2]
Personality
In The Thomas the Tank Engine Man, Mallard is described to be a rather snooty-looking engine. In Character Encyclopedia, he is referred to as being Spencer's famous brother.
Technical Details
Real-life History
Mallard is a LNER A4 4-6-2 Pacific and built at Doncaster Works on 3 March 1938. On 3 July of that year, while undergoing a braking test, Mallard established a world speed record of 126 mph. Mallard was specifically chosen for the record attempt, as it was the first A4 to be fitted with a Kylchap double blastpipe exhaust.
After the decline of steam, Mallard was immediately preserved and put on display at the Museum of British Transport in Clapham, London. In 1975, it was taken to the National Railway Museum. In 1988, the 50th anniversary of his record, it worked a series of railtours under the banner "Mallard 88", which included work on the Settle and Carlisle line before it was retired and put back on display.
In 2013, Mallard celebrated the 75th anniversary of its world speed record, with all of its preserved A4 siblings. As well as Mallard being painted in the LNER garter blue livery, its two transatlantic A4 siblings, No. 4489 Dominion of Canada and No. 60008 Dwight D. Eisenhower were both temporarily shipped back to England to take part in the anniversary (both returned in spring 2014). The event was also attended by fellow siblings No. 4464 Bittern, No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley, and No. 60009 Union of South Africa.
Livery
Mallard is currently painted in the LNER garter blue livery. Mallard's wheels and steel rims are painted red. Mallard has black nameplates with "MALLARD" on them in brass and plaques on the sides of Mallard's boiler commemorating Mallard's world record.
In British Railways (BR) service without wheel skirts, Mallard was first repainted into express passenger blue. It was then painted in the BR Deep Bronze green livery for the rest of its working life. For a brief period in August 2012, Mallard was painted in the LNER wartime black livery.
Appearances
The Railway Series
Companion Volumes
|
Books
DocumentariesMallard has also appeared in the Thomas Creator Collective and the 2012 Japanese Reveal the Mystery of Sodor Island! DVD. |
Voice Actors
- Tokuyoshi Kawashima (Japan; Hashire! The "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" Steam Locomotive is Alive!)
Trivia
- In the 1999 annual, Mallard incorrectly has the number 4489, which belongs to sibling Woodcock, which is also preserved. Woodcock himself is unique in that he has a Canadian Pacific brass bell mounted on his smokebox, directly below his funnel and flush with his whistle.
- Unlike his brother, Spencer, Mallard has side valances partially covering his wheels. Spencer does not have side valances, much like how the A4s looked post-1941.
- In the Thomas Creator Collective, Mallard's HO scale model was made from a Bachmann Spencer.
Gallery
The Railway Series
Main Series
Miscellaneous
Thomas & Friends
Miscellaneous
References
| Locomotives | Steam | 87546 and 98462 | Workshop Engines | Big City Engine | Jinty and Pug | City of Truro | Stepney | Bluebell and Primrose | Adams | Cromford | Captain Baxter | Flying Scotsman | Toby's Brothers | 8783 | 1020 | Stephenson's Rocket | Green Arrow | Boxhill | Iron Duke | Mallard | Duchess of Hamilton | Wilbert | Sixteen | Albert |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | Diesel | Diesel 4711 | Diesel 199 | Diesel 40125 | Diesel 31120 | 10751 | |
| Rolling Stock | Helena | |
| People | Elizabeth II | The Thin Clergyman | The Fat Clergyman | |
| Stations | Barrow-in-Furness | Brighton | Carnforth | Crewe | Euston | Horsted Keynes | King's Cross | Lakeside | Norchard | Paddington | St. Pancras | York | |
| Railways | Bluebell Railway | British Railways | Corris Railway | Dean Forest Railway | Ffestiniog Railway | Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway | Snowdon Mountain Railway | Talyllyn Railway | Toby's Old Tramway | |
| Locomotives | Flying Scotsman* | City of Truro | Boxhill | Green Arrow | Duchess of Hamilton | Mallard | Stephenson's Rocket | Iron Duke | Puffing Billy | Eurostar |
|---|---|
| Coaches | Open-topped Carriages |