From the beginning of railways there had been competition between trains running on the east of Britain those on the west.

It was madness. From the beginning of main line passenger railways there had been fierce competition between trains running on the east side of Britain and those on the west side. Both were trying to beat each other from London to Edinburgh. Briefly in August 1888, it developed into out-and-out races fuelled by newspapers eager to come up with gripping stories in the summer lull. The whole country became hooked.