The Elizabethan
 Gresley A4 4-6-2 No. 60028 'Walter K. Whigham’ ready at King’s Cross for the inaugural run on 29 June 1953 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Passenger train |
| Predecessor | Capitals Limited |
| First service | 29 June 1953 |
| Last service | 1963 |
| Former operator(s) | BR |
| Route | |
| Termini | London King’s Cross Edinburgh |
| Service frequency | Daily |
The Elizabethan was a named passenger train operating in the United Kingdom, which ran from London King's Cross to Edinburgh Waverley station.[1]
History
[edit]In 1953, the summer only Capitals Limited train was renamed The Elizabethan, to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.[2] From 1954 the journey time was reduced from 6 hours 45 minutes to 6 hours 30 minutes, and it was promoted by a British Transport Film, Elizabethan Express. The journey time of 6 hours 30 minutes gave an end-to-end average speed of just over 60 mph (97 km/h), regarded as a creditable achievement given the poor state of the infrastructure in the postwar era. At the time this was the longest scheduled non-stop railway journey in the world.[3]
The service ran until 1963 but steam haulage came to an end on 8 September 1961.[4] On that day the final northbound run was hauled by No 60022 Mallard, which was (and remains) the holder of the world speed record for steam.
References
[edit]
- ^ Allen, Cecil J. (1967). Titled Trains of Great Britain. Ian Allan Ltd. p. 75.
- ^ "Speed up of Main Line Trains". Dundee Courier. England. 16 May 1953. Retrieved 27 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Semmens, P.W.B. (January 1993). "War & peace: Railway practice and performance". The Railway Magazine. London. p. 53.
- ^ Locomotives of the LNER Vol 2A, RCTS