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Despite the depression, British engineering was still the best in the world, especially when it came to building steam engines. On 30 November 1934 a British built engine, the Flying Scotsman became the first steam locomotive to travel at 100mph (160.9kph). It was known as 4-6-2 locomotive which means, and you will notice if you look at the picture on the right, it had 4 small wheels at the front, 6 massive wheels in the middle and another 2 small wheels at the back. Many locomotives are described in this way. So a 2-4-2 engine would have only 2 wheels at the front and 4 in the middle and 2 at the back.
However, on 3 July 1938 the absolute record for the fastest speed of a steam locomotive was set by another British built engine, the Mallard. It was another 4-6-2 type engine and it achieved a speed of 126mph (203kph) south of Grantham on the East Coast Main Line. Both engines were owned by the LNER, the London and North Eastern Railway. If you look at the picture of the Mallard on the left you can see how much more aerodynamic it is than the Flying Scotsman.
Both engines were retired in 1963 but the Flying Scotsman still makes a few trips each year.
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