London & North Eastern Railway 4-6-2 No. 60009 (4488, 9) 'Union of South Africa'
Balbuthie, Fife, UK 		Location: Balbuthie Railway and Farming Museum
Status: Display
Posted: Sep 18, 2023 @ 16:09:01 by Steve Frost, European Editor
Saul, the answer to your question is in the notes already on this site. No, it will not run again in the foreseeable future.
Posted: Apr 22, 2023 @ 11:04:50 by Russell Newman
After haunling her final trains in prservation and being on display in the Bury Transport Museum for a year, ex LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" has now left the East Lancashire Railway and has relocated to her new home at the Balbuthie Railway and Farming Museum and Visitor Centre at her owner John Camron’s Farm at Balbuthie in Fife, Scotland, where Number 9 will now be on public display for now alongside ex LNER K4 Class 2-6-0 Mogul No. 61994 "The Great Marquess" in future years ahead.
Posted: Mar 29, 2023 @ 13:03:04 by Russell Newman
With its repaint and cosmetic work now completed, ex LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" will be on display at the Bury Transport Museum on the East Lancashire Railway over the Easter weekend before she leaves for her new home at John Camron’s Railway and Farming Visitor Centre on his Farm at Balbuthie in Fife, Scotland.
Posted: Jan 29, 2023 @ 06:01:17 by Russell Newman
The ex LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" is now undergoing cosmetic work and a repaint prior to her move to John Camron’s Balbuthie Railway and Farming Visitor Centre in Fife, Scotland.
Posted: Dec 7, 2022 @ 06:12:18 by Russell Newman
It has been announced that owner John Cameron will be moving ex LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" from the East Lancashire Railway after some cosmetic work to his Railway and Farming Museum at his farm at Balbuthie in Fife, Scotland where she will join ex LNER K4 2-6-0 No. 61994 "The Great Marquess" for display in January 2023, which is expected to be open to the public in 2023.
Posted: Nov 12, 2022 @ 11:11:01 by Russell Newman
News has come that former LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" will be leaving the East Lancashire Railway soon and relocating to her owner John Camron’s farm at Balbuthie in Fife, Scotland for display as planning permission for his Railway and Farming Visitor Centre has been given the go ahead. Before this Number 9 will be repainted along with some cosmetic work carried before she is moved to her new home in Fife, Scotland and it is planned to be on display with a 1938 built ex LNER Gresley built Restaurant Brake Coach No. 1852 there from the Gresley Society which John Camron is the president of.
Posted: Apr 15, 2022 @ 10:04:30 by Russell Newman
The former LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" will continue to remain at the East Lancashire Railway for the time being as the A4 is to be placed on display in the Bury Transport Museum for a year or longer? As the John Camron owner of Number 9 still wants the locomotive to be accessed by members of the public still.
Posted: Oct 21, 2021 @ 11:10:35 by Russell Newman
With the A4 now sadly out of service for good No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" has been on display during the East Lancashire Railway’s recent Autumn Steam Gala. The Railway has announced that Number 9 will be on display again at Bury Bolton Street Station on the 6th and 7th November 2021 for people to take photographs. Before she is moved to another location for static display.
Posted: Oct 6, 2021 @ 12:10:48 by Russell Newman
It should have said sorry that its sad to announced that former LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" has now been withdrawn from service, which this now means that the locomotive has now retired from service for good. The locomotive has been running in preservation longer than with both the London & North Eastern Railway and British Railways together since 1966. I would like to conclude by saying thank you to John Cameron for saving and giving us Number 9 to enjoy on both the main line and heritage railways around the UK, as she will be now sadly missed.
Posted: Oct 5, 2021 @ 10:10:17 by Russell Newman
It's sad to announc that former LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" has now been withdrawn from service, which this now means that the locomotive has now retired from service for good. The locomotive has been running in preservation longer than with both the London & North Eastern Railway and British Railways together since 1966. I would like to conclude by saying thank you to John Cameron for saving and giving us Number 9 to enjoy on both the main line and heritage railways around the UK, as she will be now sadly missed.
Posted: Aug 5, 2021 @ 13:08:50 by Russell Newman
The final date of the final farewell steaming of ex LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" at the East Lancashire Railway before she is withdrawn from service for retirement for static display has been unveiled for the New Years weekend from the 31st of December 2021 to the 3rd of January 2022. After this Number 9 will be moved to a yet-to-be-decided location for static display. But until then the A4 remains in traffic at the East Lancashire Railway and will take part in their Autumn Steam Gala weekend from the 15th to 17th of October 2021 which will be the locomotive’s last ever Steam Gala appearance then.
Posted: Apr 4, 2021 @ 05:04:20 by Russell Newman
The ex LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" has passed a trial steaming at the East Lancashire Railway and is set for a full season at the railway which will be its last. Number 9 has only 12 months left on her boiler ticket until April 2022 before she is withdrawn from service and retired for static display. So make the most of the locomotive while you can.
Posted: Jan 2, 2021 @ 07:01:01 by David Wilkins
I know that it is expensive and time consuming, but is there any reason why 60009 could not get a new boiler ticket to allow it to run again. It is an iconic engine that we can ill afford to lose.I am sure that the public would be happy to contribute!!
Posted: Oct 13, 2020 @ 13:10:10 by Russell Newman
No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" has arrived safely at the East Lancashire Railway at Bury in Lancashire where the locomotive will now be located at during the duration of her boiler ticket.
Posted: Oct 10, 2020 @ 10:10:13 by Russell Newman
Having spent most of 2020 in the yards at the National Railway Museum in York since April after hauling her final mainline railtour ex LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" is to be moved and relocated to the East Lancashire Railway on the 13th of October 2020. Where following examination the A4 will work for the remaining year of its boiler certificate there before her retirement from service.
Posted: Aug 27, 2020 @ 03:08:34 by P. Platt
Why is this loco retiring.
Posted: Aug 23, 2020 @ 10:08:36 by Russell Newman
LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" is currently located at the National Railway Museum at York where she has been since her last run on the mainline in April 2020 and is currently awaiting to be moved to the East Lancashire Railway for her last full year in service there before her retirement.
Posted: Apr 23, 2020 @ 05:04:03 by Russell Newman
Yesterday No. 60009’s mainline ticket finally ran out bringing to a end of 47 wonderful years of Number 9 on the mainline as the A4 has been owned by John Cameron longer then both the LNER and British Railways together. It was a sad day when No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" hauled her final railtour on part of her former stomping ground on the East Coast Mainline and pulled into York station for the last time on March the 7th 2020. Although the mainline ticket has ended Number 9 will be moved soon to the East Lancashire Railway to use up the remainder of her boiler ticket during 2021 to the early part of 2022 which after that she will be retired for static display.
Posted: Apr 2, 2020 @ 12:04:21 by Jack Spencer
Good news! Union of South Africa will now move to the East Lancashire Railway where she will run for two years until her boiler ticket expires in 2021. However her East Coast Sprint on 7th March has ended up as her last ever mainline run, as a Scottish finale is now no longer possible.
Posted: Mar 2, 2020 @ 12:03:16 by Russell Newman
A interesting fact about the corridor tender that No. 60009 has is not the original. Number Nine’s original tender saw fame as the second water tank with "Flying Scotsman" in the days when 4472 ran with two tenders in the late 1960s and 70s. Today Number Nine’s original tender is still used as a second water tank but with sister A4 No. 4464 "Bittern". The corridor Tender that No. 60009 is paired with today is from the experimental Gresley W1 Class 4-6-4 No. 10000 "Hush-Hush" the only 4-6-4 tender locomotive to run in Britain.
Posted: Feb 15, 2020 @ 09:02:59 by Russell Newman
Now in her last few months of her mainline and boiler ticket No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" will retire from service on the 23rd of April 2020 which will bring the curtain down on Number 9’s operational career since her owner Scottish farmer John Cameron bought her for preservation in 1966. After this date Number 9 is to be placed in to storage as the original plans to put her on display at a Railway and Farming Visitor centre in Fife may now not happen. But it is possible that the A4 could join John Cameron’s other locomotive LNER K4 No. 61994 "The Great Marquess" on display at the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway?
Posted: Aug 27, 2019 @ 10:08:32 by Russell Newman
No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" will return to the East Lancashire Railway where she will stay for most of October and will be part of the line up of locomotives at their Autumn Steam Gala from the 18th to 20th of October 2019.
Posted: Jul 29, 2019 @ 10:07:34 by Russell Newman
LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" will finally return to the Mid Norfolk Railway in late August as its expected to visit for their Ales by Rail - Beer & Music Festival over the Bank Holiday week from the 23rd to 26th of August 2019. This visit of Number 9 may be the last time before the locomotive retires in Summer 2020.
Posted: Jun 22, 2019 @ 10:06:02 by Russell Newman
Sadly the visit of LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" to the Mid Norfolk Railway for their Summer Steam Gala has been cancelled due to engineering works on Network Rail on the route the locomotive was to travel to the Mid Norfolk.
Posted: May 31, 2019 @ 13:05:41 by Russell Newman
No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" has been added to the line up of visiting locomotives at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for their Annual Steam Gala from the 27th to 29th of September 2019. This will be the last visit of Number 9 to the railway before her retirement in 2020.
Posted: May 24, 2019 @ 12:05:04 by Russell Newman
LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" has been added to the line up of visiting steam locomotives at the Mid-Norfolk Railway for their Steam Event from the 28th to 30th of June 2019. Where Number 9 will be running together with LMS Princess Coronation Class Pacific No. 6233 "Duchess of Sutherland" for the first time. But this will also be the final visit of Number 9 to the railway then.
Posted: Mar 27, 2019 @ 11:03:45 by Russell Newman
There is good news as No. 60009s boiler ticket has been extended for another 12 months of service on the mainline and heritage railway circuit till 2020 and there is a possible visit to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway in late September.
Posted: Mar 25, 2019 @ 05:03:51 by Russell Newman
Sadly due to needing new piston rings and valve rings to be fitted the visit of No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway has had to be cancelled.
Posted: Dec 18, 2018 @ 13:12:42 by Russell Newman
No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" will be returning to the East Lancashire Railway for its winter maintenance for what could be for the last time before her retirement in 2019.
Posted: Oct 14, 2018 @ 08:10:58 by Russell Newman
No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" will be visiting the North Yorkshire Moors Railway next year for the opening season round late March and early April. This will be the last visit to a preserved railway by Number Nine then before its retirement from July 2019. No. 60009 along with LNER K4 "The Great Marquess" will then be moved to John Carmon s Railway and Farming visitor centre and museum on his farm near Balbuthie in Fife.
Posted: Jun 15, 2018 @ 10:06:49 by Russell Newman
No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" will be making first ever and only visit to the Bluebell Railway in East Sussex for there Giants of Steam Autumn Gala which will have a LNER theme to it on the weekend of the 12th, 13th & 14th October 2018.
Posted: Jun 9, 2018 @ 09:06:43 by Russell Newman
After having firebox repairs at Bury on the East Lancashire Railway No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" is back in service for the remainder of its boiler and mainline ticket. Number 9 will back working on the mainline from the 16th of June with a trip from London to Worcester that day and carry on with its mainline career. In August the A4 again will visit the Mid Norfolk Railway for a second time which this will be its last time there before retirement in 2019.
Posted: Jun 2, 2018 @ 09:06:12 by Russell Newman
No. 60009 has been owned by its current owner John Cameron since it was withdrawn from service 1966. The locomotive was originally named "Osprey" and in the early 1990s the "Osprey" nameplates where carried again to avoid the controversy during the Apartheid era in South Africa at the time. The A4 spend most of its working life in Scotland and was a among the last LNER A4 Pacifics in service at the very end of mainline steam in Scotland in 1966. Since then Number 9 as she is mostly known by has travelled all around the UK mainline network mainline steam railtours since. No. 60009 will be sadly missed when she retires to be on display at John Cameron s Railway and Farming Museum at Balbuthie in Fife from 2019.
Posted: Feb 1, 2018 @ 10:02:24 by Russell Newman
No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" will have a busy season this year as the A4 is booked to appear at the East Lancashire Railway for there Spring Steam Gala on the weekend of 2nd to 4th March 2018. As well as mainline duties from the 30th August to 3rd September by popular demand the A4 is to revisit the Nene Valley Railway for there Pacifics weekend with 34081 92 Squadron.
Posted: Dec 22, 2017 @ 05:12:45 by Russell Newman
Having finished its mainline running for the season No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" has moved to the East Lancashire Railway for its winter maintenance at Ian Rileys works.
Posted: Nov 24, 2017 @ 05:11:45 by Russell Newman
No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" is also having a very busy month out on the mainline over Christmas with the Railway Touring Company as well. As the A4 will be working along side 46100 "Royal Scot" on trips from Norwich, Peterborough and Cambridge to York. If anyone wants to see 60009 out on the mainline before it retires in 2019 do it now as you can.
Posted: Apr 22, 2017 @ 09:04:40 by Russell Newman
60009 "Union of South Africa" will be making its 2nd and possibly its last visit to the Mid Norfolk Railway for there summer steam gala on the weekend of the 23rd-25th June.
Posted: Apr 14, 2017 @ 10:04:55 by Russell Newman
Sorry it should have said that No. 60009 will be part of the Ian Riley operating stable for the last 2 years in service so like what I said before make the most of Number 9 while you can. The A4 is currently at the East Lancashire Railway.
Posted: Apr 13, 2017 @ 16:04:53 by Russell Newman
60009 "Union of South Africa" is back in service after completion of its repairs to its frames, axel boxes and running gear. The A4 will part of the Ian Riley operating stable for the last 2 years in service so like what I said before make the most of Number 9 while you can.
Posted: Mar 21, 2017 @ 19:03:49 by Russell Newman
The LNER A4 Pacific No. 60009 "Union of South Africa" nearing the of its repairs at Bury in Lancashire and from April next month. It will only have 2 years left on its mainline and boiler ticket. As its owner John Cameron plans to put the A4 along with LNER K4 61994 "The Great Marquess" on display at a prepose railway muesum on his farmland in Fife Scotland. The locomotive has a busy year on the mainline this year and in September No. 9 as the loco is known will be visiting the Nene Valley Railway and in October will at the East Lancashire Railway for there Autumn Steam. My advice is make the most of 60009 out on the mainline and visits to heritage lines while you can in the 2 years of service she has left as like 61994 she may never steam again sadly.
Posted: Dec 18, 2016 @ 17:12:47 by Russell Newman
Repair work on No. 60009 Union of South Africa is now underway at Ian Rileys works at Bury in Lancashire. The locomotive should be returning to the mainline by Easter 2017.
Posted: Sep 9, 2016 @ 13:09:42 by Russell Newman
60009 Union of South Africa is currently having repairs being to her axelboxes at Bury in Lancashire. The A4 will be back on the mainline in the winter.