This gets more wonderful by the minute!
I was actually unaware that 31019 probably never turned a wheel in anger after arriving at Ashford. Not surprising really, as the Kent Coast electrification was just complete. But it was clearly a loco with a good turn of speed, and I timed the train at one point at 70mph but I couldn't tell you where. In fact I may well be in at least one of those photos, but I'll need to study them in detail to confirm. I suspect I'll have been in school uniform, because that's what we did in those dim and distant days.
I remember at the time being rather disappointed that the train was hauled from Charing Cross by two old and decrepit locos rather than a pacific of some sort. It didn't take me long to realise just how lucky I had been.
Brian