In Previous articles, there has been comment upon the welcome growth of healthy co-operation between the Home railways and their employees. Now comes striking evidence of the goodwill existing on the British lines in the restoration by the managements of the railwayman's “guaranteed week,” whereby each employee is assured of a full week's work irrespective of traffic offering.

The guaranteed week was suspended after the general strike of last year, and large numbers of railwaymen who misguidedly laid down tools were for long either totally unemployed or only employed for a limited number of days weekly. This was due to the tremendous drop in business arising out of the coal mining dispute. Only recently has traffic again begun to flow in normal volume. At the moment, there is not, strictly speaking, justification for the full-time employment of the whole of the men who ceased work last year, but as a gesture of goodwill the railway managements have arranged for the immediate full time employment of every man on the payroll.

Cheap Excursion Fares.

Passenger travel in Britain will this season receive an immense stimulus by reason of the exceptionally low fares which are being quoted by the group lines for holiday journeys. Fast, long-distance excursion bookings, giving express travel for something like one half-penny a mile, are a sure bait for the vacationist, and are reminiscent of the remarkably cheap fares operating in pre-war days.

Before the war the ordinary third-class fare in Britain was a penny a mile, while during the holiday season cheap fares were quoted at as low as one farthing a mile. Time was when one could travel from London to York and back, 377 miles, for three-and-sixpence, but this was during a keen rate war when competing routes were fighting madly for traffic, and it was not long before saner methods were introduced to avert bankruptcy.

On the continent of Europe, remarkably cheap fares were, in pre-war days, in operation, notably in Germany and Belgium. The German third-class fare worked out at three-fifths of a penny a mile; while in Belgium a five-day third-class ticket, covering 3,000 miles of travel, could be procured for ten shillings and sixpence, or a fifteen day ticket providing for unlimited travel over the Belgian State Railways for eighteen shillings and tenpence. Cheapter still was the fare of fifteen shillings quoted by the Trans-Siberian Railway, covering conveyance from Petrograd to any point up to and including Vladivostock, a distance of 4,000 miles. This booking was probably the lowest fare ever quoted by any railway. It had as its aim the stimulation of agricultural settlement in Asiatic Russia.

Swiss Railways.

No European country occupies a more important part in trans-continental transport than Switzerland. In introducing new and powerful electric locomotives on the St. Gothard trans-Alpine route linking Switzerland with Italy, the Swiss Federal Railways have opened up a new era in European long-distance travel. These massive engines weigh 215,000lbs., and work on the single-phase alternating system, with current supplied by overhead conductor. Electrification of the St. Gothard line, which includes a nine-mile long tunnel beneath the Alps, has revolutionised operating conditions, and enabled fast through runs of five and three quarter hours to be accomplished in the international services between Lucerne and Milan (169 miles).

It has been said with truth that Napoleon's much-lauded road-building exploits in the rugged Alps were really simple achievements as compared with the efforts of the builders of the St. Gothard Railway. Commenced in 1872, the St. Gothard line includes a nine-mile-long double-track tunnel beneath the Alps, 63 smaller tunnels, and 65 bridges and viaducts. At either end of the St. Gothard tunnel, unique spirals provide means of increasing the elevation of the tracks, the line at the northern end of the tunnel rising 580 feet in the course of one-and-a-half miles. During the winter months snow and avalanches present constant danger on this unique railway. Immense rotary ploughs are utilised for clearing the track of snow. These are of steel construction, run on eight wheels, weigh sixty page break

Aerial View, Southampton Docks, England.
Southampton Docks are owned by the Southern Railway, and cover 200 acres. Direct rail connection is given with London, 78 miles
distant, fast limited trains operating in connection with the steamship movements.

page 20 tons, and carry an immense rotary fan nine feet nine inches in diameter operating at 140 revolutions per minute.

Standardised Time.

Commencing this month, railway time-tables in Germany, Norway and Sweden are to be compiled on a twenty-four hour basis, and the old arrangement of ante-meridian and post-meridian timings discarded. Under this arrangement, the “a. m.” and “p. m.” distinction disappears, the hours running from 00.00 to 24.00. One o'clock p. m. thus becomes 13.00 hours; 7.30 p. m. becomes 19.30 hours, and so on.

European travel has always been somewhat complicated by the different timing methods followed by the various railway systems, and the several time standards favoured. In Britain, Greenwich time is everywhere standard, while Greenwich time also is applicable to the railways of France, Belgium and Luxembourg. In Holland, Amsterdam time, twenty minutes later than Greenwich is employed. Mid-European time, one hour fast of Greenwich, is used by Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Czecho-Slovakia, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The Italian railways run to Etna time, which is also one hour ahead of Greenwich; while east-European time, two hours faster than Greenwich, is favoured by the railways of Greece, Poland, Roumania, Russia and Turkey.

When Royalty Travels.

New Zealand railwaymen will doubtless for long recall the wonderful scenes associated with this year's visit of the Duke and Duchess of York. Royal travellers are, of course, numerous at Home, and the railwaymen here are intensely proud to be associated with the movement of royalty. Royal travel is to-day by no means so imposing an affair as in days gone by, yet only the most trusted railway workers remain intimately concerned in this branch of activity, many of these picked men having acted as drivers, firemen or guards of royal trains on innumerable occasions.

Probably the Home railwayman best known to royalty was Mr. Tom Willie, a Great Western guard, who recently retired after half a century's service. Willie served as guard on almost every royal train run on the Great Western in the reign of three Sovereigns, his first trip being with Queen Victoria from Windsor to London forty-six years ago. King Edward, Queen Alexandra, the Duke of Clarence, the present King and Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of York, and Princess Mary are a few of the many Royal personages with whom Willie came in contact. Queen Victoria, Mr. Willie recalls, was a most exacting traveller, and hated speed. In contrast, the Prince of Wales invariably gives the instruction “Let her go!”; he hates fuss, and never forgets to give a kindly message of thanks to every railwayman engaged on the run.

Seat Registration.

Many years ago the seat registration system was introduced by the Great Western Railway on its principal express passenger trains. Owing to the increasing popularity of the arrangement among travellers, marked extensions of the system have been introduced to cover almost all the main line services. The registration of seats is based on the arrangements followed in theatres and other places of amusement, plans of the trains showing the exact position of every seat and its number, the location of smoking and non-smoking compartments, and the like, being available for inspection by the traveller prior to setting out on a journey. For the privilege of reserving any particular seat, a fee of one shilling is charged irrespective of class, and a distinctive label affixed on the head cushion of the seat ensures its reservation for the passenger concerned.

The advantages of a system such as this, not only from the point of view of the railway patron, but also from that of the railway, are considerable. By its aid overcrowding of passenger trains is avoided; trains may be strengthened or duplicated as required in busy periods; and greatly increased comfort is secured for the traveller. The Great Western, although the pioneer of the seat registration system, is not the only Home line to place such facilities at the disposal of its passengers. On the L. & N. E. Company's system similar privileges have for some time been in operation, and the system of advance bookings favoured on the L. M. & S. line follows closely the idea underlying the Great Western seat registration system.

Railway Ports.

Ambitious development proposals are now under review at many British railway-owned ports, but the premier position of Southampton as a passenger port for the world's largest ocean-going craft is still maintained. At this great ocean gateway to Britain the Southern Railway has embarked upon a vast dock extension programme, providing for the reclamation of 400 acres of land in Southampton Bay. A deep-water quay, 7,400 feet long, is being provided, along with a jetty paralleling the quay wall, thereby increasing the capacity of the port to the extent of twenty additional ocean-going vessels. The new docks will be page 21 connected with the Southern Railway's mainline to London, and extensive factory sites are to be opened up alongside.

Locomotive Longevity.

An active life of 44 years is a rare record in locomotive history. Such is the record of the “Gladstone” engine, of the old Brighton line (now embraced in the Southern Railway), which has recently been withdrawn from traffic. The “Gladstone” was designed by Mr. William Stroudley, and was the first of a series of express passenger engines which brought the designer world-wide fame. Through the activities of the Stephenson Locomotive Society, the “Gladstone” has been acquired as a national relic. The old engine is being restored in the Southern shops at Eastleigh to its original condition, and repainted in the distinctive yellow shade adopted by its designer. It is being housed temporarily in the L. & N. E. Railway museum at York, and will ultimately find a place of honour in the Science Museum, South Kensington, London.

The average life of British railway engines is about twenty years. Probably Engine 224, of the North British line (now L. & N. E.), set up a world's long service record. This locomotive was built in 1871, and hauled the train which in 1879 dashed over the broken Tay Bridge, in Scotland-a disaster which involved the loss of sixty lives. After being hauled out of the water, No. 224 was again put in service, and continued at work until 1919, thereby placing to its credit a working life of nearly half a century.

Disposal of Ashes.

Much attention now is being given in Britain to the subject of the economical disposal of ashes from locomotives. The plan originally followed was that of providing in the locomotive sheds flat-bottom ashpits with vertical walls. From these the ashes were removed when cool by manual labour, being shovelled on to brick paving at rail level and later thrown into ash cars for removal and subsequent unloading by hand. This practice was uneconomic, involving three distinct hand operations, and to-day mechanical ash-handling plants are being provided at the larger depots.

St. Gothard Express approaching Milan, Italy.