"Cheltenham Flyer" Beats Canadian Rail Record 'amp;

(17 Sep 1931) "Cheltenham Flyer" beats Canadian record by covering 77.5 miles in 59.5 minutes.
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[@ashleywilson8033]

1:05 the wheels spinning is mental.

[@JBTEvans]

I wonder what the max speed was, must be around 95mph surely? Average of over 78mph on this run. 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). Such a journey speed had never been previously recorded and this made this run the fastest railway run in the world.

[@Martin_Adams184]

You must be right - around 95mph.
The speed of the wheels revolving in the filming from the aeroplane, at around 1.00 can be compared to these modern shots of the Gresley A4 pacific doing a certified 90mph. The A4s driving wheels are 6'8" in diameter; the Castle class wheels are just half an inch larger. ua-cam.com/video/mnEPNLcG_qQ/v-deo.html
There has been a handful of occasions during the 1950s and early '60s when a Castle class engine was timed reliably at over 100mph. But for various reasons, the GWR never had a stretch of line where a speed of 100mph-plus could be sustained for several miles on end, which the LMS and (especially) the LNER had during th 1930s.

[@thomasgray4188]

I don't think this is the 81.68 run I think this is an earlier run with no 5000 I'll have a look at my books to make sure.
Also I think I can see 5000 as the loco number at 1:09 but I can't be sure.

[@invisibleman4827]

​@@thomasgray4188If you guys want more detail, the driver wrote a book about it - and his career - in 1951 called 'I Drove The Cheltenham Flyer'. There's a few copies of it knocking around here and there.

[@thomashambly3718]

0:19 my ears were destroyed

[@cheltenhamSpa]

I bet the stoker was earning his wage on that run.