FLYING SCOTSMAN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 184, 4 July 1928, Page 7

FLYING SCOTSMAN.

GREAT RACE WITH AIR LINER. TRAIN LOSES IN RUN FROM LONDON TO EDINBURGH. LONDON, June 18. After an exciting race, which thrilled the spectators along the route, tlie air liner, City of Glasgow, beat the famous train, the Flying Scotsman, from London to Edinburgh, a distairee of 392 miles, by 21 minutes. The ’plane fought headwinds throughout, but the pilot sent his machine hurtling through the air at 100 miles an hour in the teeth of the gale. To add insult to injury, as it were, the air liner broadcast messages which were picked up by listeners ■ on the receding train. “Flying is grand, but it is a shame to make game of a train,” said James Birkett, aged 79, a retired enginedriver, who was a passenger on the City of Glasgow. It was his first flight, and ho made this remark when the airliner overtook the train at 5.15 p.m., circled above, and went on to Edinburgh. The passengers on the train listened to the air-liner’s messages on a new receiving and transmitting installation, which will not be placed on the market for a year. They heard a message, saying: “Now we are alongside.” They looked out, but did not see the airplane. Ten minutes later the air-linqr admitted that it had been chasing the Junior Scotsman, which left Euston at 10.5 a.m., and added: “Now we are chasing .you.” The passengers rushed to ffhe windows and sighted the ’plane. They waved and cheered. The train, which was travelling, at 75 miles an hour, was apparently holding its . own. The airliner circled, appeared on the other side, and was out of sight in a few minutes.