Of the 100 locomotives, 200 other pieces of rolling stock, and countless other articles, only one was not made or used in Britain: The Shinkansen Bullet Train from Japan. The Shinkansen started in 1964 just before the Tokyo Olympics. With maximum speeds of about 200 mph, it could beat all of the competitors, at least until drugs began to improve athletic performance. Today Shinkansen maglev trains can reach 360 mph and stretch a 1/4 mile long. The one below stood still while we climbed aboard and took pictures.
This train is from the first set (0 series); The Japanese retire their Shinkansen after 15 years so this train (with its distinctive blue lines designating the series) was available for refurbishment and museum duty. Some note that its nose resembles a Douglas DC-8 plane. The Shinkansen were the first in Japan to use the world standard gauge of 4' 8 1/2" -- prior to that, Japanese trains used the smaller (3'6") gauge. (The theory is that smaller gauge lets lighter trains climb up the mountainous terrain without the need of expensive tunnels required by the larger and heavier trains). The tracks had to be upgraded for high speeds anyway. Strictly speaking, the term Shinkansen refers to the tracks, not the train itself. During WWII, many Japanese rail lines were dismantled to make use of the steel. (A more iron-rich supplement way of eating your seed corn).
While the Japanese were rebuilding their rail network with these industrial jewels, the Brits were introducing their last steam locomotive. Somehow technical innovation had shifted far eastward. Many railroad buffs view the Shinkansen as the most significant railway development since the Brits brought out the "rocket" engine which we'll see in the next page.