Performance Bulletin This is John Rule's log of the "Golden Arrow" VSOE run on 19th May 1996, a round trip from Kensington Olympia via Clapham, Catford, Swanley and the Kent coast to Margate and back via Canterbury, Ashford, Sevenoaks and Penge. The train comprised nine Pullmans, our support coach, the VSOE support coach and the VSOE generator car, totalling 471 tons tare, 483 tons gross. The weather was dry with a fresh southerly wind. The impressive features are the precise timekeeping on the outward run and the headlong flight across the Weald from Ashford to Tonbridge, where 24 miles were run at the permitted maximum speed of 75 mph. John Rule comments "The highest calculable power output was achieved beween Tonbridge and Severnoaks Tunnel, when about 2,183 edhp was sustained for over 3 minutes at about 55mph. (not corrected for wind effect). Indicated horsepower would be about 2,550. This is some way short of the maximum possible for a Merchant navy locomotive in ideal conditions but is an exceptionally good figure for the loco was being driven at full regulator and 35-38% cutoff.. Boiler pressure was between 220 and 250 psi and both injectors were on. Throughout the day locomotive handling was of the highest order, no excessive blowing off but plenty of steam when required. The locomotive was never driven excessively hard but produced excellent work. Given the restrictions, slacks and checks the running, particularly uphill compares well with that recorded in BR days. A comparison of the performance on the climb to Sevenoaks with the graphs produced when 35020 was tested, suggest that Clan line is in very good shape and it seems likely that she could equal or possibly exceed the highest power outputs recorded by Merchant Navies."         Ml dec Sched. Actual Speed Notes     mins min. sec. mph   Kensington 0lympia. 0.00       40sec early start Latchmore Jn. 2.75 6 6.50     Longhedge Jn 3.60 9 8.34     Wandsworth Road 4.17   11.26   signals Clapham High St. 4.5   13.51 23   Denmark Hill 5.94 20 17.58     Crofton Rd Jn 6.4 21 20.09     Peckham Rye 6.82   21.04 29   Nunhead 7.65 24 22.28 34   Crofton Park 8.76   24.37 37   Catford 9.72   26.38 19 permanent way slack Bellingham 10.58   29.02 27   Beckenham 11.18   29.58 38   Ravensboume 12.05   31.20 37   Shortlands Jn 12.50 31 32.05 35   Shortlands 12.79   32.32 40   Bromley South 13.67   33.47 42   Bickley 14.71   35.16 42   Bickley Jn 15123 36 35.59 42   St. Mary Cray Jn 16.00   37.01 48   St. Mary Cray 17.50   38.50 53   Swanley 20.15 42 42.22 37 min. at summit Farningham Road' 23.29   45-55 65   Longfield 26.16   48.44 54   Meopham 28.74   52.27 40   Sole Street 29.71 54 54.06 31   Rochester Br Jn 35.78 64 64.47 28 30 mph pws Rochester 36.50 66 66.05 36   Chatham 37.00   67.01 32   Gillingham 38.75 71 .-69.57 39 pws Rainham 41.68   74.44 52   Newington 44.25   77.45 60   Sittingbourne 47.50 81 81.31 40/44   Teynham 50.74   85.03 60   Faversham 54.69 88 90.05 29 30 mph pws Whitstable 61.80   98.04 53 50 mph pws Chestfield 63.28   99.40 58161   Herne Bay 65.50 100 102.43 22 pws Birchington 73.50   113.10 56   Westgate on Sea 75.14   114.56 59   Margate arr. 76.61 113 117.48   water stop dep. 0 0 0   1 min, 28 sec. late start Broadstairs 3.23   7.05 37140   Ramsgate 5.39 9 11.10 30 30 mph pws Minster E. Jn. 9.00   17.05 20134 signals Minster 9.45 15 17.49 41   Sturry 18.50   29.16 44/47   Canterbury West  arr.21.11 33 33.50   water & service stop   Dep. 0 0 0   1 hr 8 min. 30 sec. late start Chartham 3.2   6.41 51   Chilham 4.8   8.57 59   Wye 10.00 12 13.26 65   Ashford Yard  arr.14.00   18.13   signal stop for Eurostar   Dep.0 0 0   1 min. 52 sec. Ashford 0.64   2.42 11/24   Milepost 54 2.75   3.46 54/56   Milepost53 3.75   4.47 62   Pluckley 6.30   8.56 75   Milepost 46'/4 10.50