FAST LOCOMOTIVE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22792, 28 July 1937, Page 10

FAST LOCOMOTIVE

NAMING CEREMONY DOMINION OF NEW ZEALAND - MR. JORDAN OFFICIATES LONDON RAILWAY STATION [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT] ' LONDON. July 10 A ceremony was performed at King's Cross Station the other morning, when the High Commissioner for New Zealand, Mr. W. J. Jordan, who was accompanied by Mrs. Jordan, officially named a now streamlined passenger locomotive, the Dominion of New Zealand. On the outsides of the cab is painted the New Zealand coat of arms, in which the word "Onward" seems particularly appropriate for the last word in locomotive engineering.

There are five engines of the Dominion class, built to haul the London and North Eastern Coronation express, which is the fastest train in the Empire. Following Mr. Jordan, Sir Firoz Khan Noon, High Commissioner for India, and the Hon. C. T. te Water, High Commissioner for South Africa, performed similar ceremonies in connection with the Empire of India and Union of South Africa engines respectively. The three engines looked very attractive, each being painted a. saxe blue, with chromium lettering. Congratulating the company on its enterprise, Mr. Jordan said the railway services of the world had played a great part in commerce and general development. He unveiled the nameplate and then got into the cab. Under the instruction of the driver, he blew the whistle and drove the graceful giant to the end of the platform and back. The locomotive's total weight with tender is 156 tons 7cwt. It was designed by Sir H. N. Gresley, chief mechanical engineer of the London and North-Eastern Railway.