LMS Princess Royal Class 7P 4.6.2 number 6201 "Princess Elizabeth" races through Brock, Lancaster with the return leg of the "Coronation Scot" from Glasgow Central to Tyseley.
I was watching a video on these engines running and they really run them full-tilt-boogie! The wheels spin like mad, the traveling beams rock like crazy and the chug-chug-chug of the pistons comes as a rapid tattoo. Wow! It makes one understand the romance of steam trains. Think of it -- flying along -- the fastest transportation on earth in the 19th century! Exhilarating!
In the UK, preserved lines and privately owned railways are generally limited to 25mph except for special cases where the speed limits are higher, such as the Great Central Railway in Leicestershire which permits running up to 60mph on some stretches. Main line locos follow the same speed limitation procedures given to regular rolling stock, they must achieve and maintain a speed 10% over that of the desired top speed, so if a loco wants to run at 60mph tops they must achieve and maintain safely 66mph or more. The fastest mainline locomotives in the UK run at 75mph, however 60163 "Tornado" still wants to achieve 90mph at some point.
Once you've boarded and rode a mainline steam hauled tour, a preserved line just feels somewhat inadequate.
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