On the group railways of the Homeland the practice in connection with permanent way repairs and renewals is to carry out minor daily upkeep operations by small groups of men each allocated to a particular short length of route. More important repairs are carried out as necessary by the relaying personnel, while special gangs cover partial or complete track renewals. The foreman in charge of each maintenance section is responsible for determining the necessity for minor track repairs and renewals, and arranges his work accordingly. Each foreman is subject to the circularised instructions of the divisional engineering chief, and to the supervision of the local inspector, who covers anything up to fifty route miles of track. The section foreman is responsible for maintaining the track to an even surface, with correct super-elevation by lifting and packing; maintaining correct alignment by slueing; the rectification of gauge faults; the tight and effective maintenance of all keys, bolts and fastenings; the adjustment of rail expansion spaces; the renewal and replacement of old and defective individual sleepers, rails, fastenings and fishplates; and the repair and minor renewal of crossings, points and their fittings. He is also responsible for the cleansing of the ballast by screening, the cleaning of drains and ditches, the weeding of the track, the cutting of grass slopes, and the repair of fences, and crossing gates. Once a day (including Sundays in cases where passenger train movement takes place on that day) the section foreman must personally inspect the full length of line allotted to him. Altogether the section foreman is a very busy man, and upon his shoulders rests a big responsibility, for sound and well-maintained railway track is the very basis of safe and successful railway working.