A model of the coach "Old Times" owned by Henry Wyndham, 2nd Lord Leconfield. In this coach on July 14th 1888 James Selby drove from Piccadilly London to the Old Ship in Brighton and back in 7 hours 50 minutes and so won a £1000 wager*. His average speed including changing horses must have been about 12 mph. Presumably between stops he was bowling along at about 15. The turnaround at the Old Ship must have been particularly dramatic.
The all-time record for a single journey had been set 65 years earlier when the "Criterion" drove from London to Brighton in 3 hours 40 minutes. Those were the days . . .
James died the same year aged 44.
*From "The Brighton Road
" by Charles Harper.
" by Charles Harper.
Where is this model on display?
ReplyDeleteI saw it at Petworth House, West Sussex.
ReplyDelete