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What was the fastest UK steam train?

On 3 July 1938, the A4 class locomotive Mallard raced down Stoke Bank at 126mph to set a new steam locomotive world speed record. That record still stands.



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On July 3, 1938, Mallard billowed out smoke as it reached speeds of 126 mph – a little over 200 kmph. With that, Mallard became the world's fastest steam locomotive, a record that it holds till this day.

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With a top speed of 126mph, the Mallard holds the record for being the fastest steam locomotive in the world. Another Gresley design, the Flying Scotsman, is an enduring achievement. When applying for planning permission, the society's trust stated: “This duck is no mere whimsy.

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In 1934, The Flying Scotsman became the first locomotive to achieve a speed of 100 miles per hour and dramatically reduced the journey time between the two capitals. The end of her career on the East Coast mainline in 1963 was not the end of her story though.

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In 1934, Flying Scotsman achieved the first authenticated 100 mph (161 km/h) by a steam locomotive.

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The Flying Scotsman: How the first 100mph locomotive became the most famous train in the world. The first train to officially hit 100mph may not even have been the first, and didn't hold the rail speed record for long; yet a century later its legend is undimmed.

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The first Gresley class P2 No. 2001 was completed in 1934 by the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) at its Doncaster works. It was the most powerful express passenger steam locomotive ever built for a British railway.

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The class J-1 and J-3a Hudsons of 1927 had 79 inch drivers. They were fast, powerful, very well proportioned, good looking, and may have been the best known steam locomotive. Honorable Mentions: CMStP&P Class F7.

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West Coast Railways, operators of 'The Jacobite', provided the steam engine and carriages for the 'Hogwarts Express' as seen in the 'Harry Potter' films including 'The Philosopher's Stone' and others in this wonderful series of films. Some of the carriages of 'The Jacobite' are those used in the 'Harry Potter' films.

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Flying Scotsman calls Gordon Little Brother despite the fact that Gordon is actually older than him, because Flying Scotsman was built in 1923 while Gordon was built in 1920 as a prototype pacific.

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The Flying Scotsman express from Edinburgh Waverley to London King's Cross failed to slow down for a diversion and derailed. Twenty-eight people were killed, including the talented Scottish biochemist, John Masson Gulland.

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The Glacier Express is the world's slowest train, taking more than eight hours to travel between Zermatt and St. Moritz in Switzerland at an average of 18mph. Along the way, it passes over nearly 300 bridges, travels through 91 tunnels and takes in endless stunning Alpine views.

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Puffing Billy is the world's oldest surviving steam locomotive. Dating to 1813-1814, it was built by William Hedley, Jonathan Forster, and Timothy Hackworth, for use at the Wylam Colliery near Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.

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Can a steam train go 88 mph? So technically, no. However, if on a steep grade, if it was long enough, along with it being at a high speed before the grade, plus the engine running by itself, maybe.

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One of the most beautiful steam locomotives ever built, the S1 was designed by Raymond Loewe. Poor balancing caused wheel-spin and only one was ever built, for the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1939.

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The Flying Scotsman: World's most famous steam train returns home after 100 years. The Flying Scotsman made a historic journey to celebrate its 100 year anniversary. If you know anything about trains, you've probably heard of The Flying Scotsman.

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The class O-8 Mikados of the Great Northern are the easy winners of this type. Built in 1932 by the Great Northern, they were by far the heaviest, fastest, and most powerful of this wheel arrangement. They were arguably the best looking too.

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The maximum speed currently possible in the UK is 186mph, achieved by Eurostar trains on the HS1 line between London and the Channel Tunnel. The HS1 line is used by Eurostar services and Javelin commuter services from Kent, although the latter have a max speed of 140mph.

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4472 Flying Scotsman, the GWR claimed that the Castle was Britain's most powerful express locomotive. In subsequent locomotive exchanges, the GWR locomotive won the battle in terms of speed, power and economy and this led to improvements being made to the LNER Pacific design.

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The Flying Scotsman is 100 years old It was only when put on show at the British Empire Exhibition in London in 1924 that she was given the number 4427 and named after the route running between London and Edinburgh - The Flying Scotsman. Though she's known for her iconic green colour, that hasn't always been the case.

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It was on 30 November 1934 that Flying Scotsman achieved the first properly authenticated 100mph for a steam engine. This was while she was running between Leeds and London.

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