Cheltenham Spa Express
The Cheltenham Spa Express is a British
Even prior to the
However, in 1923 the first batch of Charles Collett's GWR 4073 Class (also called Castle Class) 4-6-0 express engines entered service and this enabled a significant improvement in timings. The name "Cheltenham Spa Express" was given to the service, which reached Paddington in 75 minutes from Swindon, an average speed of 61.8 miles per hour (99.5 km/h)[1] making it the fastest start-to-stop scheduled service in Britain.[2]
Fierce rivalry between the four main railway companies during the 1920s and 1930s to run the fastest train in the country, and therefore in the world, led to further accelerations to the service. In July 1929 the scheduled journey time became 70 minutes, an average speed of 66.2 miles per hour (106.5 km/h), and publicity proclaimed this as the fastest train in the world.
On Monday, 6 June 1932, the train broke railway speed records with a time of 56 mins 47 seconds at an average speed of 81.6 miles per hour (131.3 km/h).
In September 1932[note 1] the time from Swindon to London was further reduced to 65 minutes, giving an extraordinary average speed, for the time, of 71.3 miles per hour (114.7 km/h) over the whole trip of 77+1⁄4 miles (124.3 km). This was the first occasion in the history of railways that any train had been scheduled at over 70 miles per hour (110 km/h).[3]
The unofficial title of Cheltenham Flyer, never used officially in timetables, ceased currency before
Notes
- ^ some sources give 1931
References
Citations
- ^ "The "Cheltenham Flyer"". Railway Wonders of the World. Archived from the original on 28 June 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
- ^ a b c Whitehouse & Thomas 1984, p. 101.
- ^ a b "Cheltenham Spa Express". Bygone Transport. Archived from the original on 25 December 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
- ^ "Cheltenham Flyer". John Speller. Archived from the original on 6 April 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
- ^ "Great Western Railway Magazine" July 1932
References
- Whitehouse, Patrick; ISBN 0-7153-8530-5.
Further reading
- "Great Western Railway Engines" 1938. Republished by David & Charles: Newton Abbot. 1971.
External links
- The Cheltenham Flyer Mike's Railway History
- First Great Western