6201 Princess Elizabeth

Today's the day ........................ to let off steam

Back in 1936, the London, Midland & Scottish Railway wanted to see if it would be possible to complete the journey from London to Glasgow in under six hours.

On the 16th November, Senior Driver Tom Clark and Fireman Charles Fleet and Albert Shaw set off from London with steam engine 6201 Princess Elizabeth at the head of the train.  They reached Glasgow Central in 5 hours 53 minutes and 38 seconds.  The following day, they did it again in the reverse direction in 5 hours 44 minutes and 14 seconds.

Nowadays, you can leave London Euston at 9.30am and arrive in Glasgow Central at 02.31pm, stopping at several stations along the route - a total travel time of 4½ hours.  But I bet it was far more exciting to have been rushing along on the Princess Elizabeth .............................