Remarkable Coaching Performance.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 308, 17 October 1888, Page 3

Remarkable Coaching Performance.

The ' Old Times ' coach, which runs between the White Eorse Cellars, in Piccadilly, and Brighton, recently made the journey thcic and back in less than eighb hour?. A wajjer of £1,000 to £500 was made that Mr James Selby, a well-known whip for the last quarter of a century, and a driver on the Brighton road for the last ten years, would not complete the double journey in eight hours. A day was selected to test his powers?. The weather was fine, and the roads in excellent condition. Elaborate ■ arrangements had been made ; and the. horses, which were changed sixteen times during Iho journey, we c in splendid training, and wcte handsome and valuable animals. The party, which started from Piccadilly at 10 a.m., comprised Mr Carleton Blythe, a well-known and experienced member of the Coaching- Club ; Mr Backett, also for several years an amateur whip ; and Mr M. Adam, a successful sportsman, who, with Mr Walter Dickson, owns the coach, and who took up the wager on Mr Selby's behalf ; Mr W. P. Cosier, and Mr Alfred Broadwood. The first change was made at the Hor&e and Groom, Streatham, which was reached in 28min., and where the change ol horses and re-starting of the coach occupied only 47sec. Streatham, and Palcham eventually divided the honours for iirst place ; both occupying 47 sec The longest &top, including necessary attention to the bearings of the coach, was only a little over lmiu. Some little delay was expeiienced sit the level railway crossing at Ciawley, where the gates were closed. But, with this exception, thpre wae no unfavourable incident; the traffic in Piccadilly giving very little trouble, owing to the excellent arrangein* nts v. hicli had been made. By the route taken by the coach, the distance to the Old Ship, at Bi i<rhton, i 5!i 5 ! calculated at fifty-four miles ftom the starting-point; and the down journey was completed in 3hr 56min lOsee. Not moie than a j-eeond's stay was made in Brighton ; the team being imme u lately turned, and proceeding homeward. When it is remembered that 108 miles had to be coveied in the time, or an average, in elusive ot stoppagrs, of IZh miles in the hour, it will be &een that the- task was not an ea c y one. When the coach drew up afc the startintr-point in Piccadilly it was found th'-t the distance had been covered in exactly seven hours andfitty minutes, or ten minutes under the time. The fact that Ihe attempt was to be made had become ext^nsivply circulated, and at many points along the road there were knots of cheering spectators; Mhile at the White Hoise Cellars" there w«3 a large gntheiing of sportsmen, who heartily congratulated Mr Selby on his record, and the directors of the coach on the success which had attended their endeavour.