Hundreds of cameras clicked and children gasped as this majestic train entered Berwick Station.

Built for the LNER in 1937 and originally numbered 4488, it was named after the then newly-formed Union of South Africa. Although it had previously been allocated the name Osprey on April 17, 1937, when it came out of the paint shop on June 29, it had been renamed. Osprey name plates were fitted to the locomotive during the 1980s and early 1990s due to the politics of the time. Its name has since reverted to Union of South Africa. The works number of Union of South Africa was 1853; the plaques are located in the cab itself and not on the exterior cab sides as is the usual practice

Purchased by John Cameron in July 1966, 60009 was preserved on the now-defunct Lochty Private Railway in Fife. There the mighty A4 travelled the three miles of track near Anstruther. Now, she travels all over the country visiting many preserved railways and hauling mainline steam specials such as the Torbay Express.

It has accumulated the highest mileage of any locomotive in the class. In January 2007, it left the Severn Valley Railway, where it was based for many years and went to Crewe for fitment of on-train monitoring recorder (OTMR) equipment. In May 2007 it was moved to Scotland to work the Railway Touring Company's Great Britain Railtour and thence to its new base at Thornton.

Whilst this is its home shed it travels widely south of the border with its dedicated support team working tours all over England. Last summer it hauled steam specials to Scarborough from York via Knaresborough, Harrogate and Leeds.