Nigel Gresley
Sir Herbert Nigel Gresley (19 June 1876 – 5 April 1941) was an English railway engineer. He was one of Britain's most famous steam locomotive engineers, who rose to become Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER). He was the designer of some of the most famous steam locomotives in Britain, including the LNER Class A1 and LNER Class A4 4-6-2 Pacific engines. An A1 Pacific, "Flying Scotsman", was the first steam locomotive officially recorded over 100 mph in passenger service, and an A4, number 4468 "Mallard", still holds the record for being the fastest steam locomotive in the world (126 mph).
LNWR Lady of the Lake class
Locomotives were kept ready for days on end at Queenstown, Holyhead, and Stafford in anticipation of the mail. The steamer from Kingstown arrived alongside the Admiralty pier at Holyhead at 8:15 a.m. on 7 January 1862. Within seven minutes, an Allan 2-2-2 set off to Holyhead station. Here the Allan Engine was changed for No. 229 "Watt", which set off for Stafford. It was hauling a short train of only three four-wheel coaches. Thanks to the newly installed water troughs near Mochdre, it was able to cover the without stopping to take on water, and despite the rough weather of the North Wales coast, reached Stafford 144 minutes later, at an average speed of . This was the greatest non-stop distance covered by a steam train at that time. An engine change was completed at Stafford in as little as a minute and a half, and Bloomer No. 372 took the train on to Euston station, arriving at 1:13 p.m., less than five hours after the steamer had arrived at Holyhead. "The Times" considered the effort to be "a speed unparalleled over so long a line, crowded with ordinary traffic".
Later that year, in the 1862 International Exhibition, The LNWR exhibited a locomotive and tender fitted with the "Apparatus for supplying water to tenders whilst in motion". The catalogue made note that this was the same class that ran the "American express" on 7 January, but the locomotive selected was No. 531 "Lady of the Lake", rather than "Watt" itself. The "Lady of the Lake" was awarded a bronze medal, and the entire class became known to many as the "Lady of the Lake" class.