A Memorable Railway Centenary Celebration.

The year that now draws to a close has been one of real progress in the railway industry throughout the world, and for the Home railways 1930 has also been a year of great historic significance. As previously noted in these letters the Home railways have recently celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of the opening of that great pioneer line, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, whereon Stephen-son's “Rocket” locomotive made secure the foundations of steam haulage. Not for many years will the festivities associated with the Liverpool and Manchester Railway centenary be forgotten, for all Liverpool made holiday in celebration of the affair, and by the Corporations of Liverpool and Manchester and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, there was produced a colourful pageant of transport on really unique lines, entailing a cast of 3,500 men and women, together with camels, elephants, dog teams, horses and specially built models of hundreds of types of vehicles, representative of every age and country.

This ambitious pageant included sections depicting Egyptian transport in the days of Cleopatra; Spanish transport of Don Quixote's time; an episode depicting a Red Indian attack on a covered wagon convoy; the hold-up of a stage-coach by highwaymen in approved Dick Turpin style; events in the building of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway; and a fine show representing the opening of the pioneer line on September 15, 1830. In addition to the pageant, there was opened, for public inspection, the most comprehensive railway exhibition ever assembled, while a fine display of modern locomotives and rolling stock from many lands provided yet another attractive feature of the celebrations.