LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard
London and North Eastern Railway locomotive numbered 4468 "Mallard" is a Class A4 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive built at Doncaster Works, England in 1938. It is historically significant as the holder of the world speed record for steam locomotives at .
Le Mistral (train)
Still steam-hauled in 1964, the "Mistral" was one of the fastest trains in France, with an "average" speed of on the Paris – Dijon section, as well as an average speed of 129 km/h on its Valence – Avignon section. It also had the distinction of being the train with the "world's fastest schedule for [a route of] over 500 miles", averaging on its Paris – Marseille section. Slower speeds on the more "rugged country" between Marseille and Nice brought the average speed down to over the full 1,086 km route from Paris to Nice, which was nevertheless a relatively high average speed for 1964. Soon after that, electrification of the route was completed, and "Le Mistral" began being hauled by modern electric locomotives; starting in 1969, it was Class CC 6500 locomotives. This change along with new passenger coaches increased the train's average speed and shortened the travel time, the latter going from 10 hours, 21 minutes, in 1964 to just over 9 hours in June 1969.