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The George Bennie Railplane System of Transport

High-speed luxury travel up to 150mph: the future of rail travel is in the air and it's going to be great for British steel

1930 23 mins Silent

Overview

High-speed luxury travel above the slower freight and commuter services was the selling point of George Bennie's Railplane system. Driven by an airscrew, the luxurious cars were intended to attain speeds up to 150mph. This wonderful study of the construction and testing of this prototype train provides a valuable insight into a much lamented railway experiment. Though the project proved successful in testing, the proposals to construct main lines failed to find adequate financial backing. George Bennie, who had funded the majority of the experiment himself, eventually succumbed to bankruptcy in 1937.

Country

United Kingdom

Language

No Dialogue with English subtitles

Subjects

Manufacturing processes Railplanes Elevated railways London North Eastern Railway William Beardmore Railway carriages Mirrlees Watson Engineering

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