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The RM October 1935

RAILWAY enthusiasts will appreciate the eminently practical centenary celebration of the Great Western Railway, embodied in the decision to introduce, from September 9, the new ‘Bristolian’ express service, which cuts below the best two-hour London to Bristol time that has remained as standard for so many years. The new trains leave Paddington at 10am for Bristol via Bath and at 4.30pm from Bristol via Badminton, both scheduled for 105 minutes.

The RM June 1953

BRITISH Railways is celebrating the Coronation year of Queen Elizabeth II with the most comprehensive speed-up of passenger train services that we have had since the recovery period immediately following the war. The major honours rest with the Eastern and North Eastern Regions; the late ‘Capitals Limited’, now to be the ‘Elizabethan’, with its 6¾-hour timing between King’s Cross and Edinburgh will need to maintain an average speed of 58.2mph throughout.

The RM June 1959

THE first of a series of 147 [later increased to 193] Type 4 main line diesel-electric locomotives to be built at Derby and Crewe Works for the London Midland Region, No. D1 Scafell Pike, has been completed. The [Class 44] design is capable of hauling a heavy express passenger train at speeds of up to 90mph or a freight train of

660 tons at 74mph on level track. No. D1 is of 2300hp, but later locomotives [Classes 45/46] are to have similar engines with an improved power rating of 2500hp.