Amerry Christmas to everyone! Thanks largely to wise management, and to the energy and enthusiasm of the individual employee, the close of the year finds the Home railways—like the New Zealand Government lines—enjoying marked prosperity. Given a continuance of settled trading conditions, and the wholehearted teamwork of one and all concerned in transportation's conduct, there appears every reason to believe that this happy state of affairs will continue throughout the New Year.

What a wonderful time for the Home railways has been this Jubilee Year of 1935! Outstanding among all events, of course, were the Jubilee celebrations that brought tens of thousands of sightseers to the Empire's capital. “Gentlemen, The King!” The railwayman ranks among the most loyal of subjects, and our Royal Family actually are very good friends of the railwayman. For shortdistance travel, our Royal House naturally makes extensive use of motorcars. When it comes to long-distance movement, however, the Royal Family almost invariably give preference to the railway. Very striking, too, is the interest always displayed in the practical side of railway working by both King. George and Queen Mary. On more than one occasion, the King has boarded the footplate of the engine of the Royal Train, in his search for railway knowledge; while on almost every trip His Majesty makes a special point of engaging in conversation with the train crew and other railwaymen with whom he comes in contact, largely with the idea of becoming better acquainted with the railwayman and his job.

Most of the King and Queen's longdistance journeys are made in the Royal Train which is housed at the Wolverton Shops of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. There are twenty vehicles available for forming the train, but, as a rule, only ten of these are actually brought into use at one time. These ten carriages weigh approximately 370 tons. Two are special saloons for the personal use of Their Majesties. In the King's Saloon, a square vestibule gives access to a smoking-room, finished in fiddle-back mahogany. Adjoining is the day compartment, with a special desk for His Majesty, while connecting with this compartment is the King's bedroom, furnished with a silver-plated bed and satinwood dressing-table. A bathroom and a compartment for the sergeant footman complete the coach. The Queen's saloon is on somewhat similar lines, but furnished in rather more dainty fashion, with blue as the colour scheme—the Queen's favourite colour.