FAST TRAIN RUN

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 5 January 1935, Page 6

FAST TRAIN RUN

LONDON TO LEEDS

FLYING SCOTSMAN’S RECORD. Railway history was made in England recently when the Plying Scotsman locomotive made a high speed run from London to Leeds. At one jjoint, near Essendine, a speed of 97J miles an hour was attained. A diverting controversy between rival claims to speed supremacy was the result. These are: — London and North-Eastern Railway. —The speed of 97i miles an hour is the highest authenticated speed ever made by a steam train. Great Western Railway.—ln the year 1904 one of our ocean specials reached 102 miles an hour on the decline east of White hall tunnel, on the way from Plymouth to Paddington. The locomotive concerned inthe 971 miles an hour run is 10 years old. With four coaches it left King’s Cross at 9.3 a.in. and arrived at Leeds 2 hours 32 minutes later. It thus achieved an average speed of 73. S miles an hour for the journey of ISSJ miles. On one stretch of 25 miles an average of 901 miles an hour was maintained. The return journey from Leeds to King’s Cross commenced at 2 p.m., took 2 hours 37 minutes—five minutes longer than the outward run. The load drawn —six coaches —was, however, heavier by half on the return journey. The average express timing on this run, allowing for stops, is about 3£ hours.