At Home, the railways themselves have, to a considerable degree, overcome the competition of the road carrier, by acquiring, wholly or in part, interests in the leading road-carrying undertakings. However, the problem of loss of passenger business arising through the growth of private motor car ownership, still remains a difficult one.

Broadly speaking, there are three main ways by which railway travel may be popularised. It may be bettered, it may be cheapened, and it may be more widely advertised. In each of these directions much is being performed by the Home railways at the present juncture. The betterment of the Home railway services takes the form of speeding up the main-line working, introducing new services where these are likely to attract business, brightening up railway premises generally, and giving the traveller increased comfort and courtesy. In the long distance runs, innovations such as wireless broadcasts, cinema performances, and impromptu dances, are being given a trial, while improvements also are being introduced in the catering branch. The cheapening of railway travel mainly takes the form at Home of affording specially cheap facilities for the day excursionist and the week-ender, and there are now an abundance of cheap travel facilities provided for all classes. As regards advertising, ambitious publicity campaigns are being conducted at Home and abroad by each of the four big group railways, and, as a result, increased bookings are likely this season to all the tourist haunts of the Homeland.