NEW TRAIN RECORD

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 262, 26 January 1928, Page 18

NEW TRAIN RECORD

300 MILES NON-STOP NO ASSISTANT DRIVER A world train record was set up recently by Driver William Ward, of Crewe. He drove the Royal Scot express from London to Carlisle, a distance of 300 miles, in 338 minutes, without an assistant driver. This is the first time the non-stop journey—which is the longest in the world—has been accomplished by a single driver. The engine used was one of the new “Class Six” type. The weight of the train, including the engine, is 544 tons, plus the weight of an instrument attached to the engine for recording speed and coal and water consumption. Great Climb The express reached Carlisle seven minutes ahead of schedule time, which had been gained north of Lancaster over thfe mountain section, including the climb up the Shap summit in Westmorland (914 ft high), where the gradient for six and a half miles is as severe as one in 75. At Carlisle Station a large crowd assembled to inspect the speed-record-ing instrument, and excited passengers ran along the platform to get a glimpse of it. They had been thrilled by the rapid run of 31 miles down from the Shap to Carlisle, the express having gained two minutes on the last 18 miles from Penrith, notwithstanding the slow down for the stop in Carlisle Station.