massive speed
record-breaking trains (3/10)

Continuing on Five this week is the series that delves into the high-octane world of speed machines. Tonight, presenter Chris Barrie explores some of his favourite fast trains, starting with the elegant steam engine City of Truroand finishing with a breathtaking ride on a Maglev test train in Germany.

Following his series ‘Massive Engines’ and ‘Massive Machines’, actor Chris Barrie (‘Red Dwarf’) turns his attention to the evolution of machines designed for speed. Each week, he follows the evolution of a specific type of machine by explaining its design and test-driving the vehicle in question. He also salutes the men and women who created these mechanical marvels and unravels the myths that surround them.

Tonight, Chris learns about the constant quest for speed on rail by looking at four recordbreaking trains. He discovers that the secret of their speed lies in four very different kinds of engine, combined with state-of-the-art track.

Chris begins with the City of Truro steam engine, now an exhibit at the National Railway Museum in York. Built in 1903, this handsome locomotive is credited as the first engine to break the 100mph barrier, some 30 years before the more famous Flying Scotsman. Chris then takes a fresh look at two modern railway giants – the British Intercity 125 and the French TGV. Both engines held speed records for up to 25 years, but the technology behind their record-breaking could not be more different.

Finally, Chris gets a chance to ride a floating train at the Transrapid facility in Germany. The Maglev hovers 10mm above its ‘track’ and has no conventional engine; instead, it relies on incredibly powerful magnets in the track that are capable of pushing it at speeds of up to 280mph. This system has allowed the Shanghai Maglev to run at over 311mph and become the fastest train in the world. It is even hoped that the technology could be harnessed to launch the next generation of space shuttles.