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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 11, Issue 11 (February 1, 1937)

A Famous British Express. — 109,000 Miles High-Speed Record

A Famous British Express.
109,000 Miles High-Speed Record.

When the Silver Jubilee Express of the L.N.E.R. passed Hitchin on its northward journey on Thursday, 2nd July, at a speed in the region of 85 m.p.h. it will have achieved a world's endurance record for a steam train—100,000 miles of high-speed work in the short period of nine months.

Introduced into regular service on 30th September, 1935, the train has made the daily journey in both directions (Saturdays and Sundays excepted) between Newcastle and London, 268 miles, at an average speed of 67.1 m.p.h.

Here is an analysis of this record:—

100,000 miles at an average of 67.1 m.p.h.; 86,567 miles at an average of 70.4 m.p.h.; 18,283 miles at speeds exceeding 80 m.p.h.

This performance has been achieved without loss of time attributable to the locomotive.

The work of hauling this train has been shared by the four famous streamlined Pacific type locomotives “Silver Link,” “Silver King,” “Silver Fox,” and “Quicksilver,” but only one set of the special carriages composing the train is in existence, and that they have performed this feat without mechanical defects arising is a remarkable tribute to British manufacture and the designer, Mr. H. N. Gresley, who has mad conferred upon him the honour of Knighthood.

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