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- Duchess of Hamilton
- Recreating a Legend
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Recreating a legend: The re-streamlining of 6229 'Duchess of Hamilton'
2009 (date tbc)
Duchess of Hamilton Exhibition
The Duchess of Hamilton exhibition opening has been delayed due to a worldwide shortage of steel to complete the restoration process. The exhibition will now launch in 2009 - please keep your eye on this page for further announcements.
Come and see the iconic Duchess of Hamilton locomotive restored to its original streamlined form. The locomotive is one of the stars of the NRM’s collections and will take pride of place in this new exhibition exploring the 1930s and links between fashion, engineering, design and the steam age. Please contact the Museum to confirm exhibition is on before visit.
Information about other exhibitions and events at the National Railway Museum
A stunning piece of Art Deco opulence is to be recreated thanks to the National Railway Museum.
Back in 1938, locomotive 6229 ‘Duchess of Hamilton’ was built as an express locomotive, resplendent in LMS red; it made a bold statement as a modern machine, for a modern age. Its power and prestige were soon put to work flying the flag for Britain, when in 1939 it took a staring role in the 1939 New York World's Fair. American crowds gawped in amazement at its sleek lines and fashionable carriages, whilst back in Europe, war clouds closed in.
The streamlining process required heavy steel casings to be fitted over the engine’s boiler, creating a distinctive curved bullet shape. Although this design epitomised the fashion of the time, it’s an open question whether the streamlining process actually brought about any substantial improvement in speed. What is not open to question is the fact that these locomotives were the most powerful steam locomotives ever to run in Britain.
When Duchess returned to a war torn Britain her lavish Art Deco style was replaced with a wartime black livery. In 1946 her streamlined casing was removed, as it made maintenance awkward. Those locomotives that had previously been streamlined were still identifiable by their tapered smoke-box fronts - giving the class its nickname of ‘semi-streamlined’ or simply ‘semi’ - but even these were gradually phased out over the next ten years.
Duchess of Hamilton was eventually withdrawn from service in 1963. She had a varied life in preservation, initially as a static exhibit at Butlins in Minehead, before being restored to steam in 1980 by the Friends of the National Railway Museum. She went on to enjoy nearly two decades on the main line before returning to the Museum's Great Hall for display.
Now, after more than 60 years, Duchess of Hamilton is to be restored to her original streamlined design, thanks to support from the Friends of the National Railway Museum and the readers of Steam Railway magazine. An appeal to readers brought about an amazing response, money poured in.
The locomotive is currently at the Birmingham Railway Museum at Tyseley, where work is underway. The project will be completed by late Autumn 2008, when Duchess will return in style to York for the 70th anniversary of the Coronation Scot service - and to take her place at the heart of a new National Railway Museum temporary exhibition.
