This picture shows one of the most recent railway connections between London and the Metropolis of the North, by means of which the 164 miles from London to Sheffield is covered in 2 hours and 50 minutes, giving an average non stop of 58.2 miles per hour. The distance between Sheffield and Manchester is covered under the hour.

This image was originally part of the Tim Hale Photographic Collection. It was purchased at auction in September 2019 through donations from members of the public and a grant from the Graves Trust.