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Original Text (Annotation: EPW023072 / 238121)
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On 2 February 1901 this was the scene of a piece of minor railway chaos. Queen Victoria's funeral train arrived from Gosport hauled by an engine of the London and South Western Railway (No. 555) with four minutes allowed for the train to reverse, the London Brighton and South Coast Railway engine Empress being attached to the other end. Someone had 'made a nonsense' of the reversal, the plan of the train being the same at Gosport and Victoria. To get the distinguished mourners in their right places on the train there was a great deal of rushing about on the platform in pouring rain. The train left eight minutes late. Despite further delay caused by a brake test the train made up 12 minutes, so the King was not kept waiting at Victoria. It is thought that a speed of about 80 mph was achieved down Holmwood bank near Dorking. The Queen had never travelled so fast. At Victoria the Kaiser's equerry congratulated the driver and fireman for such a fast journey. '
