The W.B Yeadon railway collection of LNER photographs, research notes and company records contains a unique history of the railway.  With over 31,000 meticulaously catalogued photographs, it is a treasure trove for researchers and enthusiasts alike.  The collection was donated to the Hull History Centre and is available for public viewing. A catalogue of the collection is available which gives an excellent description of Yeadon’s work.  Hull History Centre Catalogue

Please read more about the Yeadon collection via the link  or visit the Hull History Centre  Hull History Centre.

The images of the streamlined, post 1938 ‘Cock O’ The North’ shown below are copied from the Yeadon collection and shown with the kind permission of the Hull History Centre.

Post 1938 ‘Cock O’ The North’ crossing Royal Border Bridge at Berwick returning to Haymarket shed (no date)

Nos 2001 was also changed to a wedge front end when in for general repairs 30-9-37 to 14-9-38

2001here leaving the Edinburgh Waverley station might well be going to Glasgow because from early 1939 it began to work to and from Queen St

The collection includes several records of ‘Cock O’ The North’ in its original form.

2001 took up regular working again from Haymarket in 1-6-35

No 2001 also had single smoke and steam deflector plates as an integral part of the boiler casing

Only when Nos 2001-2 went to scotland were they fitted with tablet exchanging apparatus for the single line section

2001 here was just leaving Edinburgh Waverley on an express for Aberdeen

Only when Nos 2001-2 went to scotland were they fitted with tablet exchanging apparatus for the single line section

Although 2001 settled into working mainly between Edinburgh and Dundee which had no single line section

The RCTS is Britain’s leading organisation for people interested in all aspects of railways past, present and future and is highly regarded by both professional railway people and enthusiasts, a position it has held since its formation in 1928. A limited number of photographs of ‘Cock O’ The North’ are available in the collection.

Cl P2 No. 2001 ‘Cock o’ the North’ (rebuilt to A4 outline) at Haymarket (top of chimney cut off) Aug 1938

The collection includes some pictures of Class A2/2 nos. 60501 the ‘Cock O’ The North’ stored for scrapping at Doncaster.

CRA0392 CI A2-2 No. 60501 ‘Cock o’ the North’ on Doncaster Works scrap line May 1960

CRA0392 CI A2-2 No. 60501 ‘Cock o’ the North’ on Doncaster Works scrap line May 1960

Doncaster P2 Locomotive Trust thanks RCTS for giving permission to reproduce the photographs which are available for purchase from the RCTS web site RCTS

The NRM website gives access to some of its 1.75 million images of 160 years of railways, vehicles, workshops and workers.  The  collection contains a set of official photographs for Doncaster, including some of ‘Cock O’ The North’ in its original form.

Locomotive ‘Cock O The North’

P2 class 2-8-2 locomotive number 2001 ‘Cock O’ The North’ at Doncaster works, 12 May 1934

P2 class 2-8-2 locomotive number 2001 ‘Cock O’ The North’ at Doncaster works, 11 July 1934

The photographs can be found on the NRM website NRM Doncaster Collection.

The Doncaster P2 Locomotive Trust acknowledges that NRM allows reproduction free of charge for any non-commercial use and we wish to credit “© National Railway Museum and SSPL” .

John Sloane contacted the Trust with some photographs of interest from his collection.  They are included in an album of mainly 1930’s LNER photographs which he purchased in Kingston in the late 1980’s.

The first is Cock O’the North, showing the open front end while at Haymarket.  Writing on the print states it is dated 21st Aug. 1938

Haymarket 21/8/38

There’s another picture of a P2 in the album – 2006 “Wolf of Badenoch” taken at Aberdeen Ferryhill on 22/8/38.

Aberdeen – Ferryhill 22/8/38

The original photographer is unknown, so if anyone has further information, please contact the Trust.