THE GREAT GATHERING

摘要

Anthony Coulls, senior curator of railway vehicles at the National Railway Museum, summed it up when he told The Railway Magazine on July 3: "This Great Gathering of all six A4 Pacifics is the stuff dreams are made of." Many of those invited to the opening ceremony in York had been too excited to sleep the night before, let alone dream. As the minutes ticked away towards the spectacular arrival of Mallard itself at 8am, there was an air of anticipation so tangible you could feel it on the hairs of your neck. The assembled throng of VIPs and press were looking at Mallard's five sisters - Sir Nigel Gresley, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Union of South Africa, Bittern and Dominion of Canada.