Trivia: Speed Records

[hexagon789]

Realtime Trains - 1715 Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh

Realtime Trains is an independent source of live realtime running information for the Great British railway network.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

44 mins Glasgow QS to Haymarket with 4 stops seems pretty close to me.
If they took out the stops for a special run, reckon they'd get pretty close or faster given the better acceleration.

From memory, and I couldn't find the proper timing to confirm, but the record run with two brand-new 158s (which achieved a maximum of 109mph and held around 100-105 much of the way) ran Glasgow Queen Street to Haymarket non-stop in about 32.5 mins (about an 85mph average). There was also a record run with a 47/7 & shortened Mk3 push-pull set in June 1985, it had a target time of 35 mins Glasgow-Haymarket but failed to achieve this - taking 36 and a half mins. 47716 was the loco.

 

[AlastairFraser]

From memory, and I couldn't find the proper timing to confirm, but the record run with two brand-new 158s (which achieved a maximum of 109mph and held around 100-105 much of the way) ran Glasgow Queen Street to Haymarket non-stop in about 32.5 mins (about an 85mph average). There was also a record run with a 47/7 & shortened Mk3 push-pull set in June 1985, it had a target time of 35 mins Glasgow-Haymarket but failed to achieve this - taking 36 and a half mins. 47716 was the loco.

The latter must have been the attempt Taunton was talking about.
If 158s can do it in 32.5 mins, must be worth a trial with a 385, see if it can get to sub-30 min timings.

 

[zwk500]

Is this a technical limitation (e.g. because of signal)? If not, couldn't this rule be suspended for the run?

No, because the section token only covers to the limit of section board. Token exchange requires driver and signaller to both simultaneously press the exchange buttons, which requires a phone call between them to synchronise. I'm not sure if one press exchanges both tokens, or if they'd have to do it twice (ignoring a 2nd train for the moment).

The only way this requirement could be waived would be to take possession of the line.

 

[Taunton]

The latter must have been the attempt Taunton was talking about.

No, mine was on a 27 x 2 push-pull in 1974. Normal service, Saturday afternoon. And I was on it ! Interesting that it seems to have at least equalled a specially arranged run with a shortened formation by the next generation of power.

It was the "nearly overran Haymarket but not quite" run described in the last paragraph here :

ScotRail Express in the 1980s | RailUK Forums (railforums.co.uk)

 

[AlastairFraser]

No, mine was on a 27 x 2 push-pull in 1974. Normal service, Saturday afternoon. And I was on it ! Interesting that it seems to have at least equalled a specially arranged run with a shortened formation by the next generation of power.

It was the "nearly overran Haymarket but not quite" run described in the last paragraph here :

ScotRail Express in the 1980s | RailUK Forums (railforums.co.uk)

That makes sense,that they would do one for each generation to test their ability at least one.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Would Paddington to Cheltenham Spa qualify for an attempt with a Class 700 to be the old steam record?

 

[Bald Rick]

Would Paddington to Cheltenham Spa qualify for an attempt with a Class 700 to be the old steam record?

Could be tricky past Swindon.

 

[hexagon789]

Would Paddington to Cheltenham Spa qualify for an attempt with a Class 700 to be the old steam record?

I presume you mean an 800?

 

[Taunton]

Could be tricky past Swindon.

The GWR 1930s "Cheltenham Flyer" (correctly the "Cheltenham Spa Express", although the GWR themselves did a "boys' book" with the Flyer title) did little flying near Cheltenham - in fact it started off hauled by a 55xx tank loco, sometimes bunker-first, to Gloucester, where it reversed and the Castle 4-6-0 came on. Normal run to Swindon, it was just the last bit, Swindon to Paddington, where it had the fastest start-to-stop time in the country - first train in Britain scheduled at over 70mph.

Not too difficult for modern stock I think.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Could be tricky past Swindon.

I'm not really familiar with the road past Swindon, so I don't really know (see also below).

I presume you mean an 800?

Yes, I do ... my mistake!

The GWR 1930s "Cheltenham Flyer" (correctly the "Cheltenham Spa Express", although the GWR themselves did a "boys' book" with the Flyer title) did little flying near Cheltenham - in fact it started off hauled by a 55xx tank loco, sometimes bunker-first, to Gloucester, where it reversed and the Castle 4-6-0 came on. Normal run to Swindon, it was just the last bit, Swindon to Paddington, where it had the fastest start-to-stop time in the country - first train in Britain scheduled at over 70mph.

Not too difficult for modern stock I think.

I'd for gotten the lack of flying from Cheltenham to Swindon, but I think that the Swindon - Paddington leg would be possible.

Thanks for all of your comments.

 

[hexagon789]

I'm not really familiar with the road past Swindon, so I don't really know (see also below).



Yes, I do ... my mistake!



I'd for gotten the lack of flying from Cheltenham to Swindon, but I think that the Swindon - Paddington leg would be possible.

Thanks for all of your comments.

Swindon to Paddington definitely has the most scope for significant improvement on any previous records, but then depending upon exactly what holds the current overall Cheltenham to London record - I think an IET has the scope to improve on it at least on the electrified section

 

[Atomix330]

Fastest service times Swindon to Paddington are weekday mornings: dep SWI 0738, arr PAD 0829 and dep SWI 0823, arr PAD 0914. And then in the reverse in the afternoon dep PAD 1415, arr SWI 1504.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Thanks - two minutes faster from East to West, then?

 

[Mark J]

If you can stomach seeing a now disgraced ex-Top Of The Pops presenter, there is a video on Youtube of the 30th August 1984 London to Bristol IC125 record attempt.

 

[Neo9320]

If you can stomach seeing a now disgraced ex-Top Of The Pops presenter, there is a video on Youtube of the 1984 London to Bristol IC125 record attempt.

Lmfao !!! New horror movie….trapped non stop on a train with Jimmy…..

 

[Mark J]

Lmfao !!! New horror movie….trapped non stop on a train with Jimmy…..

I thought IC125 trainsets were in the 'executive livery' by 1984?

The trainset in that video is still in the very old blue and white livery.

Bucks Fizz (remember them?) were rudely cut off shortly after they started performing by JS arriving into Bristol Temple Meads.

Also, has the 1984 record of 62 minutes and 33 seconds actually been beaten since?

 

[Darandio]

I thought IC125 trainsets were in the 'executive livery' by 1984?

The trainset in that video is still in the very old blue and white livery.

Blue still appeared on some Mk3 HST coaches as late as 1990.

 

[sjm77]

I thought IC125 trainsets were in the 'executive livery' by 1984?

I believe the executive livery came a little later maybe 1986/87. I believe the first time I saw it was when Rail (Enthusiast) magazine had a picture of brand new 89001 on the front cover!

 

[hexagon789]

I believe the executive livery came a little later maybe 1986/87. I believe the first time I saw it was when Rail (Enthusiast) magazine had a picture of brand new 89001 on the front cover!

Strictly speaking 1978 with the APT, but properly with the relaunch of InterCity in October 1983 for which the Manchester Pullman and two HST sets were specially painted.

The Swallow/Swift version appeared from mid-1987.