Optimism is now the order of the day throughout the Home railwayworld. Both passenger and freight business continue to expand, and special measures are being taken by the four group railways to meet the improving situation. The staple industries, like those of coal-mining and iron and steel manufacture, have got into their stride again. Freight traffic receipts week by week register welcome increases, while on the passenger side takings everywhere are appreciably swelling.

Large numbers of employees in the traffic, locomotive and engineering departments, laid off during the slump, are being re-instated; and experienced trainmen who were loaned to other branches for less skilled duties, are being put back on their regular jobs. Locomotives which for long have been standing idle are once again being brought into traffic, and altogether the outlook for railways and railwaymen alike is decidedly propitious.

An interesting featurè of the present business revival is the heightened activity witnessed in the advertising and canvassing sections of the group lines. Ambitious publicity campaigns are now being conducted by each of the four leading railways, while passenger and freight canvassing is proceeding intensively throughout the country.

Not content with covering Britain thoroughly, the railways are moving further afield in the search for new business. Recently joint advertising and canvassing offices have been opened by the four groups in Paris and New York respectively. The staffs of these bureaux have been carefully selected from the railway personnel, and the members have been specially trained and have extensive personal knowledge of Britain's attractions in the holiday field, as well as its industrial needs and potentialities. The bureaux work in the closest association with the foreign railways and steamship companies, and a feature is made of combined bookings by rail, sea and road to and from any point in Britain.