Built in March 1938, Mallard is part of the A4 class of locomotive designed by Sir Nigel Gresley when he was Chief Engineer at the LNER. On July 03, 1938 Gresley had authorised his team to try and beat the (then) British steam record of 114 mph held by the LMS. Gresley chose experienced driver Joe Duddington, alongside fireman Thomas Bray. The attempt on the record started at Barkston near Grantham, which meant the locomotive would be descending Stoke Bank on the record attempt. Racing down Stoke Bank, the dynamometer car behind Mallard recorded 120 mph for five miles, which saw off the LMS’s record. Subsequent examination of the dynamometer car record suggested a peak speed of 126 mph, but Gresley declined to mention this as the distance was for less than a mile. At the time the claimed 125mph speed had beaten the world record for steam locomotives established in Germany in May 1935 (a top speed of 124.5 mph). The plaque on the side of Mallard showing the peak speed as 126 mph was fitted to the locomotive after the war. Driver Duddington and fireman Bray would carry on working for the LNER, with Duddington retiring in 1944, and Bray becoming a driver after the war.
