An amazing photograph opportunity not to be missed, said the National Railway Museum in York.

It was the reuniting of four A4 steam locomotives for the first time since their heyday by welcoming ‘Bittern’, ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ and ‘Union of South Africa’ to stand side by side with ‘Mallard’.

The locos lined up to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the record run by ‘Mallard’ on 3 July 1938.  

There are only six A4 locomotives remaining in the world – four in the UK, one in the USA and one in Canada – and the four UK-based locomotives may never come together again, said the NRM.

“Almost 70 years on, ‘Mallard’, which usually takes pride of place in the NRM’s Great Hall, has been reunited with her classmates once more,” said the museum's director, Andrew Scott.

“This phenomenal line-up offered the chance for everyone who is passionate about these engines to take part in the celebration of the record and be part of a spectacular event that will go down in history.”

Earlier in the week retired railwaymen David Court, Ronnie Walker and Ken Willetts visited the NRM to reminisce about their experiences of working on the footplate of an A4 locomotive.

As the driver and former firemen stepped aboard ‘Mallard’, they were able to share their firsthand knowledge of driving and firing an A4 locomotive at speed and provided a real idea of how driver Joe Duddington and fireman Tommy Bray pushed ‘Mallard’ to the limit 70 years ago.

-    campaigners have called for Sir Nigel Gresley’s Edinburgh birthplace to be commemorated. The designer was born at 34 Dublin Street, but the only plaque highlighting his link with the city is in the booking hall of Waverley station.

Gresley’s parents moved to Edinburgh from Derbyshire shortly before he was born in 1876.

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