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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 3, Issue 3 (July 2, 1928)

[section]

Railways have now been serving mankind for more than a century, and in the period which has elapsed since George Stephenson's “Locomotion No. 1” made its triumphant passage over the Stockton and Darlington line wonderful progress has been made in every branch of the industry. Notwithstanding this progress, there still remains a wide field for developing and improving upon all forms of equipment and selling methods. That the Home railways are fully aware of their responsibilities in this regard is proved by two recent innovations which promise to prove far-reaching in the extreme. These are respectively the introduction of enamelled steel passenger coaches and vestibuled corridor tenders on express passenger locomotives.

In the adaptation of new materials for passenger carriage construction British builders have shown much ingenuity. Now comes an interesting move on the part of the London, Midland and Scottish line, taking the form of the utilisation of enamelled steel for passenger carriage bodies. As an experiment the L.M. and S. Company have acquired some fifty passenger luggage vans, 50 feet in length, with bodies of vitreous enamelled steel. By utilising this material, a great deal of time normally occupied in painting of carriage bodies will be saved, and there will be no necessity for returning the coaches to the shops for repainting at periodical intervals.