The Fastest Locomotive 177 



settle many things as a result of the amal- 

 gamation the Great Western have been 

 able to go right ahead. They are the only 

 big company in their group and not one 

 of the smaller ones added to them has 

 any pretensions to express train work. 

 Then they are doubly fortunate in their 

 locomotive stock. The policy upon which 

 it has been built was framed twenty years 

 ago and no vital change in design has taken 

 place in those years all these things help 

 to the proud record the Great Western now 

 bears as our speediest line. Another thing 

 helps their splendid permanent way and 

 also the fact that the section of main line 

 from London as far as Bristol is the best 

 piece of galloping ground in Britain. 



In 1921 when our railways began really 

 to recover from the War years the Great 

 Western had nine out of the ten best runs 

 in Britain. 



In last year's returns, so far as they are 

 complete this famous railway is still at the 

 head, both for the fastest run and the 

 highest percentage at over 55 miles an 



