An A4 by Any Other Name

by Mel Haigh

This series of articles was originally published in the SNGLPT’s journal Chime, the first part appearing in issue 119, Spring 2001 under the complete title "An A4 by Any Other Name (Number or Livery) Is Still An A4". As Mel Haigh, the author, explains at the beginning, the series began as replies to specific queries about A4 identities, and developed into a full history of those identities.

Part One   ~   Introduction   ~   the origins and meaning of engine numbers   ~   new locomotives for a new service   ~   the first four A4s.

Part Two   ~   More "streamlined" services   ~   the allocation of numbers   ~   the 100^th Gresley Pacific   ~   liveries varied and rationalised.

Part Three   ~   Liveries and embellishments   ~   and some thoughts about the names.

Part Four   ~   The birds take flight   ~    more on liveries   ~   a shuttle service.

Part Five   ~   Standardisation of livery (well, up to a point!)   ~   some birds are shot down   ~   the austerities of War.

Part Six  ~  Finery and austerity:  stainless steel trims and Wartime Black  ~  the Thompson renumbering.

Part Seven  ~  All change!  ~  new numbers, and Nationalisation.

Part Eight  ~  The British Railways era.  Blue, green  ~  and why SNG now wears BR blue.

Although Mel has now written "The End", no work of scholarship is ever quite complete.  Readers may notice, from time to time, that Mel asks a question, or thanks readers for supplying information new to him.  If you have any fresh information on this topic, Mel will be delighted to hear from you.  The Webmaster will pass on all messages.

Note:~ All dates quoted are given in the British format of Day/Month/Year

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