 TheSilver Jubilee train leaving King's Cross on 27 September 1935 on a trial run north during which it attained a record speed of 112 miles per hour (180 km/h) | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Passenger train |
| First service | 30 September 1935 |
| Former operators | London and North Eastern Railway British Rail |
| Route | |
| Termini | London King's Cross Newcastle |
| Service frequency | Daily |
| Line used | East Coast Main Line |
TheSilver Jubilee was anamed train of theLondon and North Eastern Railway (LNER) that ran between 1935 and 1939.
Inspired by the success of thestreamlined high-speed two-car dieselFliegender Hamburger service between Berlin and Hamburg introduced byDeutsche Reichsbahn in 1933, the LNER proposed the following year to introduce a similar high-speed service between London and Newcastle during 1935. Over the next few months, the plans were all changed to comprise a normal-length train hauled by a steam locomotive, all being streamlined. The service was to run once per day in each direction, departing fromNewcastle Central at 10:00 am and returning fromLondon King's Cross at 5:30 pm.[1][2][3]
To operate the service, an entirely new train was constructed – four locomotives (one of which was spare) and seven carriages were ordered in March 1935, all to new designs. The four locomotives wereLNER Class A4, but only one of these, No. 2509Silver Link, was ready in time for the introduction of the service – the others followed at intervals until December. The carriages were all ready in time for trial runs to be made on 27 September 1935. One set of special carriages were built for the two daily services, which were not used on any other service.[1][2][3]
It commenced service on 30 September 1935, the train travelling betweenLondon King's Cross andNewcastle. It did this at an average speed of 67 mph (108 km/h), taking four hours to complete the journey.[4] The high average speed was maintained by running at high speeds uphill.[5]
The train was made to commemorate the year of KingGeorge V's Silver Jubilee, and was painted silver and grey throughout. It was composed of twotwin-setarticulated coaches, and one triplet-set; seven coaches in total.
On 6 November 1935, thenewlywedDuke andDuchess of Gloucester travelled on theSilver Jubilee fromSt Pancras toKettering for a honeymoon at nearbyBoughton House, one of the bride's family homes.[6]
In February 1938, an eighth coach was inserted into the third class twin set, bringing the total to eight coaches.[7]
The train set a new standard for speed in Britain at that time. Service continued until the outbreak of theSecond World War in 1939.[8]
Engine and train: total length 462 ft2+3⁄8 in (140.88 m)Total weight: 385 long tons (391 t; 431 short tons).[9]
The name was briefly applied to one train per day between King's Cross andEdinburgh Waverley in 1977 for theSilver Jubilee of Elizabeth II.