andIndependentLinesofAustria PhotographedbyPeterGray £12.50 ISBN978-1-913893-14-9 AlthoughthegeneralperceptionisthatNigelGresley’sPacificswerethefirstnewexpresslocomotivesto entertrafficwiththerecentlyformedLondon&NorthEasternRailwaythiswasnotthecase.Withtheneed foradditionalmotivepowerforsecondarymainlineservicesthedecisionwastakentoproceedwiththe well-proven4-4-0layoutwith6ft8indiameterdrivingwheels.TheoriginalbatchoftheD49s,asthethreecylinderlocomotivescametobeknown,weredesignedforserviceinScotland;theinitialPartOneseries werenamedafterScottishandEnglishshirecounties–thePartTwoseriesoflocomotiveswerenamed afterHunts,generallycoveringtheareaservedbytheLNER. Introducedin1927constructionofthe‘Shires’ranuntil1929withthe‘Hunts’followingbetween1932and 1935givingacombinedtotalof76examples.Althoughmorethancapableofoperatingservicesallocated, theintroductionofThompson’sClassB1mixed-traffic4-6-0locomotivesin1942sawtheD49sgradually losefavour,astheirmaintenancecostsweregreaterwithlessroute-availablity.Thefirstwithdrawalofthe D49scameinSeptember1957,withthelastexampletakenoutofserviceinApril1961.Fortunately,one example,No62712 Morayshire,survivesinpreservationontheBo’ness&KinneilRailwayinScotland.