Anniversary of world speed record celebrated

A world speed record set by a locomotive near Grantham 85 years ago was celebrated yesterday.

On July 3, 1938, the A4 class locomotive Mallard raced down Stoke Bank at 126mph, on the East Coast Main Line south of Grantham, to set a new steam locomotive world speed record. That record still stands.

This year marks the 85th anniversary of the record being achieved by driver Joe Duddington who was from Doncaster.

To mark the anniversary, LNER invited Mr Duddington’s great grandson, Matthew Delaney, for a trip in the driver’s cab of an LNER Azuma train to experience the journey his great grandfather made in 1938.

The family of Sir Nigel Gresley, who designed the A4 class of locomotive when he was chief engineer at LNER, were also invited on the special journey with Ben Godfrey, his grandson and Nina Britten, his great granddaughter.

Each enjoyed a short journey in the train cab. The families made a journey from York to London King’s Cross.