90 mph running for steam trains in UK

[John Ashworth]

An article in the November 2016 issue of The Railway Magazine (p 94) states that A1 Pacific Tornado will be paired with a rake of modern Mk 3 coaches and registered for 90 mph running over the UK mainline network. An A4 recently hit around 94 mph on test runs.

The rake of coaches will include a support coach and a generator car. It will be more crash-worthy than the old Mk 1s that currently make up most steam excursions, and will have central locking, air conditioning, controlled emission toilets, at-seat power points, restricted-mobility facilities, maybe even wifi. It will also incorporate increased water capacity which will be through-piped to the locomotive's tender, thus increasing the range of the loco between stops. With the higher speed and increased range, it will be easier to find paths on Britain's crowded network.

Although the coaches are air-conditioned, the organisers have promised that they will modify them to allow windows to be opened so that the punters can hear the exhaust beat of the loco.

[John Ashworth]

And this is what a steam locomotive at 90 mph looks like!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me1OfEEKk3I