HOW THE BRAKE WAS PUT ON.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9304, 18 November 1901, Page 4

HOW THE BRAKE WAS PUT ON.

STORY OF THE GREAT RAILWAY RACE TO THE NORTH. A correspondent of the Pall -M' 1 " Gazette describes how the great railway race to the North between the rival routes East and West reached its climax. "Each day the excitement grew. At last the East Coast could stand the strain of their rivals /no longer. It was determined, once for all, to- settle the matter. The record should be put at a figure where it could never be touched. The most elaborate .preparations were mode. The rails were to be cleared of all traffic that night. High officials travelled up and down the line laying their plans. The example of the West Coast of running a 'light' train was to be followed. The fastest engines, the best drivers, and the keenest firemen m the service were selected. Nothing else but the race was thought or talked of. "The West Coast made the record it still holds. East Coast officials smiled grimly. They intended to put an end to this paltry lopping-off of minutes; an hour was common talk, nothing less- than half an hour was to be taken off. '"Soon after midday the rumor spread along the line that something had happened — from cabin to cabin the news was clicked; and later m the day came confirmation. The great record attempt had . been abandoned. The public believed that the East Coast had retired, admitting defeat. ■ "Long afterwards I heard the truth. On the morning m question, the late Home Secretary, himself a man of somewhat timorous, or perhaps it would be better to say over-considerate, nature, had sent for the general manager of the Great Northern Railway. What passed at that interview only the two gentlemen themselves know. But the result of it was that the general manager of the North-eastern Railway, who was said to have been the moving spirit m the racing, as he has been m. most of the East Coast advancement of recent years, travelled up to town, as fast as a. light engine would carry him. There he learned that the Government had threatened that if any accident- occurred, the directors aud chief officials of the com-, bjned lines would be put on -their trial for manslaughter, m view of the fatal results which would be certain ,to occur. N.E.R., knowing the precautions which had been taken, was willing to 'risk it,' but the G.N.R. was not. The Northeastern could do what they liked over their section, but there- would be no racing on the Great Northern. "And that is the reason why the great race to the North was so sugdenly .stopped—told for the first time to-day. That was -why an opportunity was lost of achieving such a. record as would have placed British railway enterprise far ahead of anything else of the kind m existence. For the 528 miles from King's Cross to Aberdeen was to have been done, granting favorable conditions, m seven hours and a half, which meant, without stops, 70 miles au hour all the way."