ENGLISH TRAIN RECORDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18324, 14 February 1923, Page 3

ENGLISH TRAIN RECORDS.

Sir,—The authentic evidence just published of the fact that one of the Great Western railway mail specials travelled at the phenomenal rate of 100 miles an hour, only proves that the motor on the track cannot take all the laurels away from the Home railways. I travelled .4000 miles a week during 1900, when in charge of a sleeping car, from London to Aberdeen. I have travelled from Swindon to Didcot some hundreds of times, and during the passing of the famous White Horse hill, on the Berkshire Downs at Uffington, know we were doing over 90 miles an hour. On one occasion I travelled on the London and North-Western railway from Nuneaton, and we did the journev to Willesden Junction at the rate of 90' miles tin hour. Oscillation commenced at 60, but as the train gathered speed, a subdued feeling commenced, and a beautiful, Restful calm seemed to enter the compartment, ' enabling , one to read in comfort. I can say with confidence that during that' journey the train at times did 100 miles an hour. The engine was the King Alfred, practically a new type then. The world-famous compound engine, Charles Dickens, made many records, and travelled over. 1,000,000 miles ere she retired from service on the London and Western railway. Ei Railwayman.