Ex-LNER Gresley 'A4' class 4-6-2 No. 22 'Mallard' Built at Doncaster in March 1938 as LNER No. 4468, withdrawn in April 1963 and preserved.

The 1948 'interchange trials' were a fascinating but ultimately useless public relations exercise. Regrettably, 'Mallard' was to be withdrawn from these ventures to 'foreign' territory after failing with an overheated big end. Here on 8th June 1948, she is waiting to depart from Exeter's Platform 5 with the up train for Paddington to a seemingly 'non-enthusiast' gathering of regular passengers.

© Steve Armitage Archive