A quick verification.

[kingmush360]

Ok, someone stated this in another forum and I would like verification:

30 years after being rescued. It managed to thrash off a bit of its coupling rods, in a 36 second wheelslip, apparently would have reached 140mph if it was moving!!

The loco in question is the Peppercorn A2 Blue Peter.

[Dave]

Doesn't sound beyond the realms of possibility. Not sure about the 140 bit though.

[kingmush360]

Ok, google doesn't help!
But people in the know always do!

[audigex]

Wikipedia quotes it as:
"The driving wheels reached a rotational speed of 140mph"

Which is certainly feasable... but doesn't mean the locomotive would have reached 140mph itself. The wheels can be rotating at the speed which they would at 140mph, but if the loco is motionless it's a completely different kettle of fish to when the engine is moving.

For a start, the biggest barrier to accelleration/motion at those sorts of speed (anything much above 70) is air resistance. Ever tried turning a bike upside down and thrashing the pedals? You can get the wheel moving ridiculously fast, but that's not to say you could actually get a bike to the equivalent speed.

So yes, the wheels were apparently moving at the same speed which would give 140mph, but that doesn't mean anything other than that the wheels were turning fast (although I can't find anything which says how this was measured? It's merely claimed). There's nothing to suggest the locomotive was capable of breaking any speed records.

[Ploes]

Which is certainly feasable... but doesn't mean the locomotive would have reached 140mph itself. The wheels can be rotating at the speed which they would at 140mph, but if the loco is motionless it's a completely different kettle of fish to when the engine is moving.

Agreed!

J Clarkson got a Renult Twingo to read 131mph on its speedo.... while driving it on an icerink.

Dont even think a Twingo can go 131!!