May 9, 2017
9 May 1904. Great Western Railway locomotive City of Truro (photographed by myself at Railfest 2012) was timed at just under 9 seconds between two quarter-mile posts whilst hauling the "Ocean Mails" special from Plymouth to London Paddington; when calculated, this worked out to just over 100mph, and, as a result, a new world record for rail travel and the fastest man had ever moved. The claim has been fiercely debated ever since, but the loco had etched its way into history whether via hook or crook. #cityoftruro #history #britishhistory #englishhistory #rail #railways #steam #steamengine #steamlocomotive #locomotive #OTD #onthisday #livinghistory