THE RAILWAY RACE TO THE NORTH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2202, 14 May 1896, Page 50

THE RAILWAY RACE TO THE NORTH.

The climax of the contest an between the Great Northern and London and NorthWestern Companies in tho race between London and Aberdeen was reached in tho middle of August IMb, It was then tn&L Eos

by one of WoradelFs new engines over tbe 124| miles ia 112 minutes — a record of 393 miles in all, with three stops, in 379 minutes. The journey FHOM BDINBUUGa TO ABERDEEN was for tbe most part done at over GO miles an hour, the goal being reached at 4 40, eight hours and 40 minutes from London, being five and a-half minutes better than 60 miles an hour all the way. With this brilliant record the race ended. The North British and North-Eastern Companies represented to tbeir co-partner, the Great Northern, that enough had been done for reputation, and the strain of working at such high pressure, as well as the delay caused to. the other tiuffio on these lines by keeping tbe line clear, made snch feats a costly bus-ine*?, and in accordance with this view the Bast Coast combination abandoned tbe race and returned to the very highly creditable performance of a month before. But the West Ooast companies were NOT GOING TO REMAIN BEATEN, and they accordingly decided to give an "exhibition" run, just to show that they could "go one better." The tiip in question was made on tbe night of August 22. The train consisted of a brake, a sleeping car, and a composite carriage. The train left Euston at 8 o'clock, and ran to Orewe at a speed of 64. Thence to Carlisle, TUB BEST EECOBD SPEED of 67£ waß reached, and from Carlisle to Perth, over the heaviest gradients, an average of 60 i 5 hs was recorded. The final xtre'eh ' from I\r'h tc Aheideen wasiunat 66 3-sfbp, aud the joxumy "completed at an average speed of G3s miles an hour, Btops included. — Caseell's Family Magazine.