WITH FULL REGULATOR LOCOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE THEN AND NOW
THE South Devon banks have always held a fascination for me, even though I didn’t venture there in the real days of steam.
I did however, time a number of trains between Exeter and Plymouth in the diesel-hauled era.
I got caught out on one occasion when Class 47 No. 47661 failed at Tigley on the 12.36pm Sheffield to Plymouth, resulting in missing my last train back to London and ending up spending the night sitting up on the sleeper train as no berths were spare.
In recent years there have been some very good efforts with steam, many of which have exceeded performances in the days of steam.
New records have been set and then broken, but one which I think still stands for a single engine is appropriately held by a GWR locomotive, none other than No. 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe.
Table One sets out details of two of the finest runs in the recent steam era, the first by the aforementioned Castle class 4-6-0 No. 5043 and.
