The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 14, Issue 12 (March 1, 1940)

Increased Freight Traffic

Increased Freight Traffic.

In Britain the mistake is not being made of robbing the railways of their skilled employees to swell the fighting forces. Within limits, younger railwaymen are being permitted to take up service with the Army, Navy or Air Force, but there is no wholesale transfer of men from civil to military employment. About 35,000 Home railwaymen are now serving with the Colours, and the stage is being reached where further men will only be spared on trainees being available to take their places. We have seen the effects of robbing the railways of their skilled staffs in the case of the German railways. There, largely because of the withdrawal from their ordinary tasks of experienced workers, the railways are operated under considerable difficulties.

In normal days, the months from October to March, inclusive, saw freight business at its peak on the Home lines. During the present winter, freight business has not only shown normal expansion, but it has also increased to an even greater degree through circumstances associated with the war. In the first place, the railways are called upon to handle all the additional traffic represented by the needs of the supply branch of the services. This in itself spells a very big item. Then, because of the decline in imports of iron ore, home production has increased enormously, and already the traffic in home ore has grown at the rate of 2,000,000 additional tons a year. Rail-borne coal, too, is swelling the tonnage handled by the railways. Coal output generally is advancing, and in addition much of the coal which ordinarily passed by coasting steamer is now moving by rail; while, because of petrol economies, there has also been a big diversion of coal traffic from road to rail. Also in part responsible for increased freight business on the railways is the convoy system, which frequently involves longer hauls, but which brings compensation in the form of bulk movement.

Fortunately, the Home railways steadily improved upon their freight-handling equipment and working methods in the years immediately prior to the outbreak of war. More powerful goods locomotives were introduced on every line; goods wagons of higher capacities were acquired; marshalling yards were extended and modernised; goods stations were given efficient mechanical devices of every type for handling goods; and there was a big development of the system of running express goods trains fitted with continuous brakes throughout. These trains operate at passenger train speeds, and are, in fact, often given preference on the road over slow passenger services. They link up all the important centres, and ensure the rapid handling of freight of all classes.

Modern passenger station design on the Southern Railway of England.

Modern passenger station design on the Southern Railway of England.

Some years ago, when the grouping scheme came into being in the Home railway world, traffic streams were completely changed throughout the country. The war has again had a similar effect, and much ingenuity has been called for in time-table re-arrangement to meet the new situation. The convoy system has brought heavy freight business to many ports which once did not figure prominently in this connection, while the movement of supplies for the Forces has also called for great re-arrangement.