BRITISH Airways' Concorde recently completed its fastest ever trip from New York to London, the Margin was interested to note.

The supersonic jet covered the distance in a mere two hours, 52 minutes and 59 seconds, beating the old record by about 90 seconds. To what was this feat of speed due better fuel perhaps, a hand brake turn over the Azores, to even that blue Pepsi? Nope, it was old mother nature who helpfully contributed 175 m.p.h. tail winds for most of the way. Now if only she could blow the leaves off the track, Britain's trains might run on time.