4468 Mallard

Today's blip is an 18p stamp from 1988. It features an image of the 4468 Mallard, a LNER class A4 Pacific steam locomotive, that currently holds the world record for a steam hauled train at 203 km/h, and hasn't lost the title which it won on 3 July 1938. That is faster than most modern high speed trains currently in use in the UK... Allegedly some current steam engines could beat that, but they aren't allowed to go that fast for safety reasons, so the record may stand for ever...

In 1988 I was doing my A-levels, and dreaming of going to University. While I'm glad I did my A-levels, and went to University, with hindsight it wasn't as useful as I thought at the time, but I'm still glad I did it.

Today it's cold wet and miserable here in Brittany, but I'm at home and on holiday so I can't complain... This stamp may be small, the actual locomotive isn't...!