The East Lancashire Railway has announced that LNER A4 No. 60009 Union of South Africa has been withdrawn from service.
Whilst it was known that 60009 Union of South Africa would be withdrawn from service on January 1st 2022, it had been hoped that the locomotive would be able to appear at this month's Autumn Steam Gala and also to appear at a farewell event at the East Lancashire Railway at end of the year.
The reason that the locomotive has been withdrawn from service is due to a fault with the locomotive's boiler tubes. Due to the location of the tubes and the small amount of time left on the boiler certificate, the fix has been deemed not viable.
It is intended that 60009 will be on static display at Bury Bolton Street during the Autumn Steam Gala, which is set to take place between the 15th and 17th October 2021. The ELR has said this will be the last time to photograph the locomotive before it heads elsewhere for retirement.
Taking the place of 60009 will be LMS Ivatt 2 No. 41312, which will be visiting from the Mid Hants Railway.
41312 will join GWR 7820 Dinmore Manor, from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, LMS Jinty 47298, GWR 5643, Class 27 No. 52322, SR West County No. 34092 City of Wells, L&Y No. 752 and Sentinel ‘Ann'.
A spokesperson for the East Lancashire Railway said “Unfortunately, A4 60009 ‘Union of South Africa' has formally been removed from service following the discovery of issues with boiler tubes. Given the location of the tubes and the fact the locomotive has only a short length of time left on its current boiler certificate, a repair of the locomotive is not deemed viable”
Let us know your memories of 60009 Union of South Africa in the comments below, or share your photos on LocoStop.
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This is a disgrace, so someone makes a pile of money of one of these locos & instead of putting some aside for the boiler which you KNOW is coming & when exactly you say nope not spending money & run off with the ball.
Should be illegal to make money of these beautiful works of art & not put a % aside to keep them going. “we” can’t afford to see yet another one retired because the owner has run off with all the money
No9
Sad to see it go will be sadly missed 😢
The news is not a surprise. Cameron can’t take it with him. My only hope is that he has not put a clause in his will preventing it from being reactivated.
I can’t believe what I am reading about another A4 being allowed to die.What good is a static display of such fabulous engineering and so exhilerating to view moving.
We should somehow fund this Locomotive’s repair, the National Lottery perhaps?
My father used to work in top shed at Kings Cross and repaired and serviced many A4s which were a delight to see and hear.
Sad to see Union of South Africa going into retirement. Living across the Irish Sea meant I never got to see much of the fabulous A4’s. I only managed to see South Africa at a Crewe Open Day in 2003 and the memorable Great Gathering in 2013 before getting to see it pass through Taunton in August 2018.
The A4s may not be everybody’s ‘ cup of tea’ but to those who loved them including myself, there was nothing to match them. Simply the best !
It’s Cameron’s locomotive and he alone has allowed it to run many thousands of miles for ‘your’ enjoyment. I believe he has constructed a special ‘home’ for Union adjacent to his home where he and his family can appreciate it.
As it is not the only A4, what’s not to like about that. Thank you Cameron for the enjoyment!
How much would it cost to fix the boiler tubes,,,,you sed it’s not viable
Many happy memories working on her both in gateshead shed and North Road works. My history
My wife and I were on the first steam hauled train to Tweedbank in the Scottish Borders.The line was first opened on 9 September 2015. The locomotive was The Union of South Africa. It was a great trip. Wonderful to view the loco close up. Hope the funding can be found to get her in service again. Andrew P
So many millions have been spent on certain other steam locomotives to keep them running surely this beautiful loco deserves the same, there must someone out there that can help, if it were Flying Scotsman we’d all be digging deep in our pockets, this locomotive deserves to run again and not used as a static display. We can build brand new steam trains from scratch why not keep this original loco alive
I was never hauled by the Union of South Africa but it was always exiting to see it pass the the back of our house in Stockton on Tees in the 1940s on my way to school . We were never happy till it was ticked in our railway books along with the rest of the famous LNER trains .Ah well happy memories.
A shame to see it stopped – but it’s run well for many years, and being “stuffed and mounted” will keep it together for many years to come – and may allow it to return to steam when those presently running have to be stopped.
Although there are few LNER engines compared to other companies, it’s not like she’s the only A4 available or like she’s being scrapped to provide parts for some pointless Frankenloco (as happened to the Barry 10).
There also comes a point when you’ve basically had to replace the entire loco – and might as well have built a replica to use instead.
Read all about it with our book telling some stories from the support coach put together by the support crew with mostly unpublished photos. All profits will be donated to support Scottish Railway Preservation projects.
Great memories of 60009 on the six o’clock flyer at Larbert Station in the
1960’s.
First saw Union as it passed our house in 1962, loved seeing the A4s . Watched it on the last runs between Glasgow and Aberdeen and was thrilled to be pulled by Union and a Black 5 on the Great Scottish rail tour of 1967, 14 or 18 carriages ,over 400 miles in a day.It looked so out of place on Lochty Farm branch line and great to see it back on the main lines.
Having followed and admired this class and this loco from late primary school to my early seventies , it is sad to see the passing of this most graceful example of style and power.
So sad to see No 9 go into permanent retirement. We need a sponsor to fund an overhaul if John Cameron would allow. There are not enough mainline LNER locomotives running nowadays.
RIGHT, let US see if its possible, if just not then at least we tried.
Let the work start a time scale of what 5 years or so.
Were can my £15 be put?????
No.9 was kept in the old goods shed at Markinch station when I was a boy.
It was always good seeing it fired up and leaving for excursions, then returning back to the shed.
I cabbed Union in Haymarket shed in 1962.This was the last A4 I needed to see to complete seeing the class.What nostalgia I was pulled by Union on a trip to Weymouth.On our return to Victoria the driver invited me to the footplate.
I cabbed Union in Haymarket shed in 1962.It was the last A4 I needed to see to complete seeing all the class.The nostalgia was completed when l was pulled by the loco to Weymouth.The driver that day invited me to stand on the footplate on our return to Victoria.What unforgettable memories.
I was hauled by union of South Africa twice one over the settle and Charlie and another to Weymouth and let rip.coming back from Weymouth so glad to have done that so sorry to see it come of main line Happy retirement 60009 glad to have seen you
Been hauled three times by
So sorry to have heard about this… I do hope that Astonishing A4 Pacific still has A Bright & Colourful Future Ahead, despite it’s retirement from steaming service.
My first ride behind Union of South Africa was on Easter Saturday when I travelled behind it from Edinburgh to Aberdeen and back,over the Forth and Tay bridges,good weather I’ll never forget it
Travelled on several trips with it over the years,John Cameron has given thousands upon thousands some great memories!!
Had a wonderful trip behind number 9 when it had the name Osprey in the 90’s over the Settle line. Great memory.
More sense for preservation movement to fund new boiler for this grand old loco than squander money on new build phonies.
As I have suggested, will some one start my £15 waiting?????????
I was lucky enough to be hauled by 60009 from Linlithgow to Aberdeen and back a couple of years ago. It’s a shame the loco’s owner now wants it “stuffed and mounted”, leaving potentially only 60007 and 60019 for future generations to see in action.