What Statistics Reveal.

Statistics are apt to be regarded by many railway folk as something of a bore, but the intelligent employment of statistics is essential to the proper understanding of the railway situation. Recently there have been published the annual railway returns covering the operations of the British lines during 1931, and these reveal much of interest for railwaymen everywhere.

During 1931 the gross receipts from railway working amounted to £170,158,-536, compared with £184,836,382 in 1930 —a decrease of £14,677,846. The bulk of this reduction was in low-class traffic not susceptible to road competition. Expenditure on railway working dropped from £147,595,684 in 1930, to £136,858,-604 in 1931—a saving of £10,737,080. Big economies were made in salaries and wages, and in the locomotive coal bill. The operating ratio increased from 79.85 per cent. in 1930 to 80.43 per cent. in 1931. As regards total net receipts, these were £33,632,047 in 1931, as against £38,044,598 in 1930—a decrease of £4,412,551. Among the statistics of operation, we have the following interesting figures:—Passenger train miles per train hour: 14.72 in 1931, as compared page 22 with 14.59 in 1930. Freight train-miles per train hour: 9,11 in 1931, as against 8.83 in 1930. The total number of passenger journeys declined by 4.66 per cent. compared with 1930, passenger receipts being down 7.39 per cent.—this due to the increased operation of cheap fares. Goods and mineral traffic decreased by 35,980,959 tons, some 268,380,148 tons being handled during 1931. Taking all in all, these statistics are decidedly reassuring, bearing in mind the difficult times through which railways are passing.