The Elizabethan

The Elizabethan was a named passenger train operating in the United Kingdom, which ran from London King's Cross to Edinburgh Waverley station.[1]

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 typePassenger train
PredecessorCapitals Limited
First service29 June 1953
Last service1963
Former operator(s)BR
Route
StartLondon King’s Cross
EndEdinburgh
Service frequencyDaily

History

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.

Mallard passes Darlington with the last steam hauled northbound run of the Elizabethan in September 1961.
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References
  1. Allen, Cecil J. (1967). Titled Trains of Great Britain. Ian Allan Ltd. p. 75.
  2. "Speed up of Main Line Trains". Dundee Courier. England. 16 May 1953. Retrieved 27 December 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. Semmens, P.W.B. (January 1993). "War & peace: Railway practice and performance". The Railway Magazine. London. p. 53.
  4. Locomotives of the LNER Vol 2A, RCTS
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