Time on Trial: new exhibition at Steam explores the story of locomotive speed trials

By Ben Fitzgerald - 30 January 2019

AttractionsHeritage

A new exhibition at Steam - Museum of the Great Western Railway, Swindon - lifts the lid on the rivalry that drove the big four railway companies in the early 1900s to be the fastest.

Time on Trial, takes a look at the exhilarating speed trials that took place between the GWR and other railway companies between 1910 and 1948.

In 1910, a Great Western Railway Star Class engine entered a race against a London and North Western Railway Company Experiment Class engine. The competition was held to determine who had the fastest locomotive. This was the first officially-recorded time trial between locomotives from different railway companies.

A collection of images and rare archive material from the Steam collection are used to illustrate the story of locomotive time trials.

Steam is open 10am-5pm Monday to Saturday and 11am - 4pm and on Sundays.

Visit www.steam-museum.org.uk 

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