LNER Class A1 No. 4470 Great Northern

The Great Northern Railway Class A1 1470 Great Northern was the first of 52 A1 class locomotives.
It has also represented three distinct stages in the history of the British 4-6-2 "Pacific" steam locomotives designed by Nigel Gresley for the Great Northern Railway (GNR), a constituent company of the London and North Eastern Railway before the amalgamation of 1923, for which they became a standard design.
Eventually Great Northern was completely rebuilt as Class A1/1.
==History==
Great Northern is historically significant because it was the first Pacific to be built by the Great Northern Railway as a prototype of the new '1470 class'.
It was also the only original A1 to not be rebuilt by the LNER as an A3. However it was still renumbered by replacing the first two numerals to '44' making the number 4470.
The locomotive was named Great Northern in honor of the GNR (Great Northern Railway). Just after WWII, Great Northern was completely rebuilt by Edward Thompson as his A1/1.
==Liveries==
As built, Great Northern was painted in GNR apple green with brown framing. In October 1923, it was repainted into LNER lined apple green with black framing. This livery had two variations, one with 'LNER 1470N' on the tender, and the other variant had only "LNER" on the tender and 4470 on the cab sides. Finally, in February 1942, it was repainted plain black, lettered "LNER". In July 1942, the LNER started using the simplified lettering "NE" on black locomotives, and 4470 may have been so treated after that date.
The locomotive originally bore its number 1470 on the cab side. When first repainted into LNER livery, the number was altered to 1470N, which was placed on the tender, below the letters "LNER". In March 1925, it was renumbered 4470, and at some point after May 1928, the number was moved back to the cab sides.
==Rebuild==
Main article: LNER Thompson Class A1/1Great Northern was rebuilt once in its career, by the LNER to the design of Edward Thompson to become his A1/1.
==Models==
Hornby released a OO gauge model of Great Northern as built in early LNER style apple green livery with black framework, and original tender with "LNER 1470N" written on both sides. L.H Loveless & Co also released an O gauge model of Great Northern in its original GNR Apple Green Livery with a brown chassis and framework.
==Gallery==
File:24846133242 0490961685 b.jpg|Great Northern Pulling a Passenger Train
File:4470.png|Another Shot of Great Northern Pulling a Passenger Train
File:4470 Great Northern Gresley A1-XL.jpg|Great Northern before it's rebuild
File:20170503210909-ace388a6.jpg|Great Northern Pulling a train full of Wagons
File:GNR Class A1 Pacific and GNR No. 1 Class.jpg
File:A1 greatnorthern.jpg
Category:LNER A1/A3 Class
Category:4-6-2 steam locomotives
Category:Gresley Locomotives
Category:British locomotives
Category:British steam locomotives
Category:British Rail locomotives
Category:United Kingdom
Category:Tender locomotives
Category:Scrapped locomotives
Category:4-6-2 locomotives
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:Locomotives
Category:LNER locomotives
Category:Rebuilds
Category:Built in 1922
Category:Doncaster Works locomotives
Category:4 foot 8 1⁄2 inch gauge
Category:Standard gauge locomotives
Category:Locomotives involved in rebuilds
Category:Passenger locomotives
Category:Scrapped steam locomotives
Category:Great Northern (UK) locomotives
Category:Standard gauge steam locomotives of Great Britain
Category:Prototype locomotives