c. 1930s Cigarette Card "The Cheltenham Flyer"

c. 1930s Cigarette Card "The Cheltenham Flyer" is a vintage Cigarette Cards artifact by W.D. & H.O. Wills (Imperial Tobacco Co. of Great Britain & Ireland, Ltd.) from 1930, preserved in The Record Institute Ephemera Archive.

Category: Cigarette Cards

Brand: W.D. & H.O. Wills (Imperial Tobacco Co. of Great Britain & Ireland, Ltd.)

Year: 1930

Rarity Class: B

Last updated: July 30, 2026

An evocative artifact from the golden age of British rail, this W.D. & H.O. Wills cigarette card captures the sheer mechanical triumph of the Great Western Railway's "Cheltenham Flyer." Issued as part of the celebrated "Speed" series, it immortalizes a moment when steam power claimed the title of the world's fastest scheduled train, distributed directly into the pockets of the everyday public.

Quick Read

Issuer: W.D. & H.O. Wills (Imperial Tobacco Co. of Great Britain & Ireland, Ltd.). Series: Card No. 34 from the 50-card "Speed" series, highlighting interwar technological velocity. Subject: The G.W.R. "Cheltenham Flyer," specifically detailing its run from Swindon to London (Paddington). Historical Milestone: Documents a world-record railway timing of 70 minutes for 77 1/4 miles, achieving an ave

Summary

An evocative artifact from the golden age of British rail, this W.D. & H.O. Wills cigarette card captures the sheer mechanical triumph of the Great Western Railway's "Cheltenham Flyer." Issued as part of the celebrated "Speed" series, it immortalizes a moment when steam power claimed the title of the world's fastest scheduled train, distributed directly into the pockets of the everyday public.

Front and back views of a vintage W.D. & H.O. Wills cigarette card. The front features a color halftone print of a green Great Western Railway steam locomotive pulling brown and cream carriages, titled "THE CHELTENHAM FLYER" - G. W. R. The reverse displays the series title "SPEED," card number 34, and typographical text detailing the train's record-breaking 70-minute, 66 1/4 m.p.h. schedule from Swindon to London, issued by the Imperial Tobacco Co.