35003 Royal Mail

It was also a privilege to travel every night during that wonderful week very near the end of Southern steam in 1967 when the late Fred Burridge, who had not previously been timed at over 85 mph, decided, for whatever reason, to let rip on the last up Weymouth train, (22.56 into Waterloo), between Basingstoke and Woking. On 26th June 1967 Merchant Navy pacific 35003, “Royal Mail” reached 106 mph on the Monday of that week which I think is the highest speed ever fully documented behind a rebuilt Bullied pacific. I was the junior in the band of "elite" timers, and was low down on the list of those selected for a footplate ride by Les Kent, who organised such things. That first night of Fred's week on the train I was allowed onto the footplate because Fred had never been timed at much over 85 mph before. "We won't get much over 85 mph, so Bryan can ride from Basingstoke to Woking", was the gist of what was said!

So I was on the footplate standing right behind driver Burridge that Monday night, as he opened up the big pacific to around three quarters regulator and a max of 27 per cent cut off after we had got into speed. I just watched as the speedometer needle hurried round the face of the clock to way past the 100 mph mark on the descent of Winchfield bank. An event I have never, and will never forget. Especially seeing the fireman walking over from the right hand side of the footplate and giving the speedometer a very long and hard look. I doubt he believed how fast we were going. But I did know how fast as despite the incredible speed I was still noting down the times, and all the speeds were later confirmed by the twenty or more “stop watch” enthusiasts standing in the corridor of the front coach of the train behind the loco.

34017 Ilfracombe wrote:Nice picture of Reuben Hendicott Bryan. You must have picked a bad day, Reuben always had a roll up fag, hanging out the side of his mouth. Dont see it on this occasion


I dont recognise his fireman, it must have been, one of the newbies whom arrived from Banbury, the last 6 months of Steam? Or is On Loan.

Bryan Benn wrote:

34017 Ilfracombe wrote:Nice picture of Reuben Hendicott Bryan. You must have picked a bad day, Reuben always had a roll up fag, hanging out the side of his mouth. Dont see it on this occasion


I dont recognise his fireman, it must have been, one of the newbies whom arrived from Banbury, the last 6 months of Steam? Or is On Loan.

Oh, the fireman! LOL!

It's Tony Leaver, (for a long time now, a driver on the Bluebell). One of us enthusiasts, not the booked foreman who must have been on the correct side of the footplate. Tony will probably tell us he was firing that day as well!