Part 14 of Railway Wonders of the World was published on Friday 3rd May 1935.
Unusually and uniquely, this issue contained two colour plates. They depict The Twentieth Century Ltd (previously seen on the cover of part 9) and LNER No. 4472 "Flying Scotsman". These plates face pages 428 and 444 respectively. The issue also includes a centre spread photograph illustrated the Forth Bridge nearing completion.
Recent experiments to overcome the noise and springing defects of the steel-tyred passenger train. This chapter describes the various types of pneumatic-tyred petrol-driven railcars, and forms a supplement to the article on The Rail-cars of France which appeared in part 3.
(Pages 427-431)
Click on the small image to see a short British Pathe newsreel clip of the “French streamlined rail-car” with pneumatic tyres operating between Leighton Buzzard and Euston (1935).
America’s Most Famous Train
AMERICA’S MOST FAMOUS TRAIN. The "Twentieth Century Ltd", owned by the New York Central Lines, covers the 961 miles between New York and Chicago in 17¾ hours. Out of this distance, roughly 850 miles in each direction daily have to be covered at an average speed of 60 miles an hour. These trains carry restaurant cars, sleeping-cars, libraries, club cars, observation cars, stenographers, valets, barbers and ladies’ maids. This picture shows the “Twentieth Century Limited” travelling at speed along the south shore of Lake Erie.
(Attached to page 429)
This picture previously featured as the front cover to part 9, and also appears as a black and white illustration on page 1038 of the series.
This is the first of two colour plates in this issue.
The story of the construction and completion of the Forth Bridge. The Forth Bridge spans the Firth of Forth. When the railways began to grow, they stretched out northwards, but the wide estuary prevented a direct communication via the east coast between London and the Northern Scottish towns. As the years passed, and rail traffic increased, it became necessary to bridge this formidable gap. A host of difficulties confronted the constructors: the bridge had to span nearly one and a half miles, a clear headway of 150 ft at spring tides had to be left for shipping, there were high wind pressures to be allowed for and, above all, the engineers had no precedents to aid them for a work of such magnitude. How the valiant builders overcame so many problems will be explained. In 1890, King Edward VII, then Prince of Wales, drove home the last rivet, and the world applauded the completion of one of the finest pieces of railway engineering. This chapter has been specially pictured by illustrations lent by the firm of contractors who carried out the splendid work.
This chapter is the first article in the series Marvels of Engineering. It is largely these marvels of engineering which have made the modern railway, and Railway Wonders of the World would not be complete without such a series. There is further reference to the Forth Bridge in part 1. You can also read a further account of the Forth Bridge in Frederick Talbot’s Railway Wonders of the World (1913), and in Wonders of World Engineering.
(Pages 432-441)
Click on the small image to see a short British Pathe newsreel clip of the “The men of the Forth Bridge, working on a job that never ends, keeping in good order the great spans of the mighty Forth Bridge.”
An account of the special transport provided for Royalty. Readers will have an opportunity of learning how the railway has served Royalty, how the special coaches are equipped, and how, once, a Shah of Persia visiting this county demanded to have an engine driver decapitated for having exceeded, what the Shah considered, a safe speed limit.
(Pages 442-450)
Click on the small image to see a short British Pathe newsreel clip of “Queen Victoria’s Coach”, including views of the ornate interior.
The “Flying Scotsman”(colour plate)
THE “FLYING SCOTSMAN”, famous locomotive No. 4472, leaving the LNER’s London terminus at King’s Cross with a night express for the north. This engine, of the 4-6-2 type, weighs, with tender, 158 tons 13 cwt in working order. The three cylinders are each 19 in diameter by 26 in stroke and are supplied with steam at 220 lb per sq in. The engine is of the “Pacific” type, designed by Mr H. N. Gresley, CBE, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the LNER.
The “Flying Scotsman”, also shown leaving King’s Cross, appears as the cover of part 23 and the colour plate in part 45.
This is the second colour plate issued with this part.
From Europe to the Far East by the World's most cosmopolitan train. Very few people ever have an opportunity of travelling from Moscow to Vladivostok by train, and very few are well acquainted with the peculiarities of the Trans-Siberian Railway. This chapter forms an account of a journey across Russia and on to China and Japan. On this romantic trip the reader will travel some 5,900 miles in nine days. This is the seventh article in the series Famous Trains. The article is completed in part 15. A complementary article on Russia and Siberia appears in part 32.
