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LNER London & North Eastern Railway Steam Locomotive Class A1 4472 Flying Scotsman at Kings Cross Shed in 1934
This photograph was taken to celebrate the first occasion that 100mph was officially recorded by a steam locomotive in Britain. The engine was No 4472 and the crew were Driver Bill Sparshatt and Fireman Bob Webster (seen here). The train (which included the dynamometer car) ran from Kings Cross to Leeds and back, on 30th November 1934 and the 100mph maximum was achieved on the return run near Essendine. The experiment was to assess the suitability of steam for haulage of proposed LNER high speed trains, and its success was reinforced 3 months later when Driver H Gutteridge achieved 108mph using sister engine No 2750 ‘Papyrus’ on another high speed test run, this time between Kings Cross and Newcastle.
Photo ID: 4472_Sparshatt_and_Webster_301134
Created: November 22, 2005
© David P Williams Colour Archive
Published in: LNER London & North Eastern Railway