GREAT RAIL RACE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29514, 16 May 1961, Page 21

GREAT RAIL RACE

1895 Duel To Be Rerun

(London Correspondent of "The Press") Thundering north from London 540 miles to Aberdeen, two steam-powered trains will next year re-run the famous 1895 railway race as a farewell gesture to steam traction on the East Coast and Midland routes to Scotland. The Stephenson Locomotive Society put the idea of reviving this most exciting and competitive episode in British Railway history to British Railways and the regions concerned have been working out how to stage the event. The proposed date is May 27, 1962. The two trains will probably run on a nine-hour schedule, which is two hours faster than the fastest scheduled run at present. Ironically, the reason for the passing of the steam engines —electrification on the Euston Station to Crewe line and modernisation work on the route up the East Coast from King's Cross Station—is also certain to preclude the possiblity of breaking the 1895 record of 512 minutes This average speed of 63.3 m.p.h. was set by the West Coast companies. Speed restrictions on today’s tracks at a dozen points will slow next year’s performances. A Pacific-class engine, the Mallard, which set a world steam record of 126 m.p.h. pulling 240 tons 23 years ago, will pull the King’s Cross train to Edinburgh. Duchess-class locomotives will pull the Euston train, non-stop to Carlisle and then with one stop at Stirling. Both trains on this exciting run, recalling the most thrilling of railway struggles in which the rival companies repeatedly fought for supremacy on the run to the North, will have nine coaches weigh about 300 tons. In the 1895 contest, the first train to reach Kinnaber Junction, north of Montrose, was able to lead the way on the line to Aberdeen. Frequently the two trains reached the junction within seconds of each other.