Race to the North
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The Race to the North is the name given to two summers in the late 19th century when British passenger trains belonging to different companies would literally race each other from London to Scotland.
[edit] First and second race
The first Race to the North was between day trains from London to Edinburgh in 1888, and the second was between night trains from London to Aberdeen in 1895.
Great Northern Railway GNR used the 4-2-2 Stirling Single (eight-footer) constructed by Patrick Stirling for their express. GNR Sterling No 668 brought the East Coast express over the 105.5 miles track from King’s Cross to Grantham in 1 hour 41 minutes with an average speed of 62,7 mph = 105 km/h. After engine change in Grantham GNR Stirling No 775 made the 82 miles to York in 1 hour 16 minutes, average speed of 64.7 mph = 108 km/h. Totally, the distance London-Edinburgh was made in 6 hours 19 minutes, the 523 miles distance London-Aberdeen in 8 hours 40 minutes (average speed 60.4 mph).
Two days later, on August 22nd, 1895, London North Western Railway LNWR train with Precedent No. 790 Hardwicke 2-4-0 needed 2 h 06 min for the 141 miles run from Crewe to Carlisle, with an average speed of 67,1 mph = 112 km/h.
A serious derailment at Preston in 1896 resulted in public calls for safety rather than speed, and the racing was abandoned in favour of more realistically timetabled services. London Midland Scottish LMS and LNWR made an agreement on speed limits, which was revoked in 1932.
[edit] Later racing trains to the north
In 1927 LNER started the famous non stop express train Flying Scotsman from London to Edinburgh. In the same year LMS launched the LMS Royal Scot Class operated express train from London to Glasgow.
The Flying Scotsman was in 1934 the first train, which made a top speed of more than 100 mph (160 km/h). This record was broken by the streamline LNER Class A4 Silver Link hauled train Silver Jubilee London-Newcastle in 1935 with 112 mph.
But LMS countered in 1937 with the Coronation Scot, hauled by LMS Royal Scot Class with a top speed of 114 mph.
In September 2006, a Virgin Trains Pendolino set a new speed record on the 401 mile run Glasgow Central - London Euston with 3 hours 55 minutes, average speed 102.4 mph.
