The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-22
THE FLYING WELSHMAN
A RIDE IN THE ENGINE CAB OF ONE
OF ENGLAND's FAST TRAINS.
Astonishing Speed of over a Mile
Minute Most of the Time, Which Is
an Extraordinary Average.
Special to the indianapolis journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
LONDON, Aug. III have ridden in the
! engine cab of one of England's very fastest
trains, the Flying Welshman," the fame
of which has extended around the globe. 1t
is rarely that a correspondent is permitted
on an engine in England, and as this is the
first record of impressions of how it feels
to whirl over the rails behind this English
Empire State Express 1 give them for
what they are worth for the benefit of
! Americans who may have the pleasure
some day of being pulled behind this cele-
brated engine
L stepped upon the up platform of the
long station of Newport, Monmouthshire,
on certain morning lately, armed with an
"engine pass" to ride upon the footplate of
ore of the finest express trains in the
world. The hour was 10 a. m; the London
express was not booked to depart for an
other eighteen minutes, and the station was
almost deserted. I had learned, however,
that the engine upon which had permits
sion to ride picked up the train at New
port on its arrival from Cardiff, and even
whilst I was making inquiries as to it's
whereabouts the magnificent locomotive
came leisurely gliding up the middle way of
the station, and halted directly abreast of
ne, with safety-valve blowing off furious
~, and the whole massive shape thrilling
with the Titanic forces pent up within it.
My delighted gaze was cut short by the
driver waving his hand in recognition, and
reckoning me to come on board. Somewhat
hesltatingly, and with a vague sense of
penalties mot exceeding forty shillings and
costs" dropped on to the line, and, step
ping over to the engine, climbed up on to
the footpate. Here the poetic element was
Immediately dispelled. and the aspect of
things became exceedingly practical. Sew
eral tons of damp coal were heaped into
big mound in the tender at my back; the
ruddy furnace roared in muffled thunder
betwiXt the half open DOORS the water bub-
bled and seethed in the gauge-glass; the
injector which at that moment was on,
uttered deep, resonant racking groans; the
steam from the safety valve that was
blowing off at a pressure of 100 pounds to
the square inch, Kissed Economically; every
thing looked business like.
Slowly at first, with rhythmic beat and
measured putting from the short funnel we
slipped along, crossing the bridge which
spans the Usk, and leaving the smoky Mon
mouth town behind us. Then the pulsation
began to increase as the driver opened out
the throttle; the low burr of the wheels
rose gradually into a muffled roar; the en-
CINE commenced swaying with an occa-
sional quick sideway lurch as it rounded
curve. The loud Kissing from the safety
valve ceased or was drowned in the quick
ening blast of the exhaust the pebble-bal-
lasted track began to spin by, and the pas
sing sleepers to grow indstinguishable; and
within five minutes of leaving Newport sta
ton we We're rushing over the levels and
whizzing through the grassy cuttings at a
speed which was swiftly rising to sixty
miles an hour.
1 ensconced myself in comfortable
corner of the cab, where 1 was we'll shell
tered from the wind, and at the same time
out of the road of the fireman and driver
Through the spectacle glass 1 could COM
mand a clear view of the line ahead, and
took notice Of the curious effect produced
by the endless vista of rails rushing to meet
us, as though the train was swallowing up
leagues of track.
A LONG TUNNEL.
Signal cabins, telegraph posts, bridges.
wayside stations, all flashed past with a
velocity which speedily grew bewildering
to my unaccustomed eye. We We're APP
preaching Severn tunnel junction, when
suddenly Evans applied the brake and
shouted to me to hold on tight. 1 heard
the grinding of the fianges; then the en-
CINE seemed to swerve violently and in a
manner which would certainly have flung
me from my feet but for the timely warn
ing. The fireman now lit a lamp in the
cab in readiness for our passage through
the tunnel. Already we were running down
the cutting with reverberating roar COM
ing back from the gradually heightening
banks on either side, and as far oft as 1
could see through the circular field of the
window, where the arrow-straight line
seemed to converge into point, was what
looked like a tiny blot upon the reddish
face of the cliff, so ridicuously small in
perspective that the notion of the train
passing through it seemed about as practi-
able as for the traditional camel to go
through the eye of a needle.
There's the longest tunnel in England,
sir" said Evans, pointing; 'over four miles
from end to end"
And how long will it take us to go
through it?" 1 asked.
well we never run at full speed, and as
there's stiffish climb after we pass the
middle, we seldom get through much under
eight or ten minutes"
We were now close upon the black aper-
luIe, TEARING uOWn the lncllne winch led
to it at headlong speed. Evans blew a
prolonged blast of the whistle and while
the resonant shrek sweled into many
shrill and wild echoes from the high banks
we plunged into the gloom, and in a breath
the daylight was eclipsed. The effect in the
tunnel was strange, weird and impressive
The darkness seemed full of flying
shadows, the ruddy CLEANS falling slant
wise through the chinks betwixt the fur
mace doors, and the feeble glimmer of the
lamp in the cab tinged the piles of coal
heaped up in the tender with blood red
hues. The figuresof the fireman and driver
showed in vague, shadowy shapes. Not the
fainest glimmer came from the train in
our wake Occasionally q little galaxy of
sparks would vomit forth from the invisible
funnel and sweep like flight of firefles
into the blackness behind. At intervals we
flashed past lamps affixed TO the damp
walls, and once we passed a little band of
men working by torchlight and showing
like demons in the wavering glare. Some
where about the middle of the TUNED an
other train passed us, spinning by in a
I. long undulating streak of light, with pale
clouds of steam dimly visible.