PHIL Dalton’s letter concerning Clun Castle’s East Coast Main Line run on September 10, 1967 (October issue) recalls a request to train timers to set aside their stopwatches.
I timed these tours throughout bothdaysandwasnot approached. Generally speeds were modest, but the schedules were mostly kept. Possibly No. 7029 touched 80mph, northbound, at Chester-le-Street. On the return, 78mph was noted at DanbyWhisk, followed by severe checks from something ahead.There were brief speeds in the80snearMossandCrowPark, with 78 passing Essendine. Most speed recordings were around the 70mph mark.
Flying Scotsman’s running was also restrained, but she touched 82mph at Claypole and crept into the 90s passing Essendine. It should be noted that there were several‘out of position’mile posts on the ECML that might show up as blips in the speed profile.
An estimated 93mph recorded at Tallington was taken in darkness from the rhythm of the rails. Where was GPS when we needed it? Complete logs are held on the Railway Performance Society’s electronic data base.
C G Foss, by email