Black five locomotive No 44767 George Stephenson

Some stills of 'George Stephenson' from yesterdays visit to the NYMR at Whitby and Gromont

The locomotive is of course a Black five.

4767 was completed on the last day of the LMS, 31 December 1947 at Crewe Works. It was unique amongst the 842-strong class in that it featured outside Stephenson link motion in addition to other experimental features; a double chimney, Timken roller bearings throughout and electric lighting.

These modifications were part of a series of experiments by George Ivatt to improve the already excellent William Stanier-designed black five.

4767 was renumbered 44767 by British Railways after nationalisation in 1948. Its double chimney was removed in 1953. It was withdrawn in December 1967 after a working life of only 20 years.

44767 was privately bought and was stored at Carnforth until 1974 when it was taken to Thornaby for restoration by North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group. She was bought by Ian Storey. Restoration work was complete for the 150th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1975. At Shildon, the former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, William Whitelaw named 44767 after famous railway engineer George Stephenson. A plaque below its nameplates reads:

This locomotive was named by the Right Hon. William Whitelaw C.H. M.C. M.R. at Shildon on August 25th 1975 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

The locomotive saw regular use along the mainline, including services in Scotland. The loco was based on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway before being taken out of service at the end of 2002 for a full overhaul.
44767 resteamed at Morpeth, Northumberland, where she was overhauled, in December 2009, from where she moved to the Great Central Railway for running in and painting.
Between May and September 2010, she was in use at the North Norfolk Railway, before visiting the West Somerset Railway for their Autumn Gala. She then spent the winter of 2010 at the Churnet Valley Railway, before visiting the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway for their winter steam gala in February 2011. She has since now moved back to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for the 2011 season.

I am most grateful to Wikepedia for the above details of 44767