NRM: Mallard 1000

This is it people, welcome to my 1000th Transportation Submission on DA. I think now, or after the NRM is finished, would be a good time to remodel my gallery. Remove nothing, but resort everything so it's easier to find.

For the moment however, to celebrate this milestone, I thought I'd share the cream of the crop when it comes to steam traction. Seen here is L.N.E.R Class A4, number 4468 "Mallard". Preserved in it's original form, Mallard together with six coaches and a dynamometer car descended Stoke Bank on the ECML on July 3rd 1938, acheiving 125mph/201kph top speed, with a further momentary maximum recorded in the dynamometer car of 126mph/203kph. Despite many claims that the speed has been broken, Mallard still officially holds the record for the worlds fastest steam locomotive, fact. She didn't make it back to London Kings Cross however, as right after the record was set she suffered an inside cylinder overheat, and had to limp back to Peterborough before being replaced by an Ivatt Atlantic, then returning to Doncaster for repair.

However it's heritage is somewhat threatened, as a new contender (possibly) has arisen in 60163 "Tornado" (which featured in an epic race from London to Edinburgh on Top Gear just last night don't you know? ) Tornado is supposed to be designed to acheive a speed of 100mph/160kph maximum, however rules and regulations say that a locomotive may only run to a certain max speed if it is capable of holding a speed of 10% above the max speed desired. This means (for people who aren't mathematical) that if Tornado were to acheive 100mph, she'd need to travel up to and hold for a certain distance 110mph/177kph. Although many happen to think: at that speed, is 16mph more really not doable? Whoever knows until it's tried and tested, maybe she'll go to Germany on the high speed lines where she can do what she wants according to the German government...