Title: Our London Letter (vol 11, issue 1)

Author: Arthur L. Stead

In: The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 11, Issue 1 (April 1, 1936.)

Publication details: New Zealand Government Railways Department, Wellington

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Part of: The Railways Magazine

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Progress on New Railway Works.

Steady progress is being made on the big Home railway improvement plan, aided by Government loans, to which reference was made last month. The various betterment works covered by the scheme may, at a later date, be supplemented by additional works of considerable magnitude, among which trunk line electrification may conceivably be to the fore. In well-informed circles, it is stated as likely that, within the next few years, a considerable part of the London & North Eastern main-line between London and Edinburgh will be converted to electricity. The London, Midland & Scottish Railway, also, have big electrification plans prepared, in readiness for the day when they feel justified in spending the very large sum of money such conversions would entail.

Until recently, electrification in Britain was mainly confined to suburban tracks, and the Southern line has been the pioneer of suburban electrification at Home. Now, however, main-line electrification is being undertaken by this Company, notably on its London-Portsmouth route; while the London and North Eastern authorities arc putting in hand the conversion from steam to electric traction of the Manchester—Sheffield main-line.

With the idea of securing the fullest benefits of standardisation, the Government laid it down some time ago that future main-line electrifications should all employ the high-voltage direct current system, at either 1,500 or 3,000 volts. An exception was made, inasmuch as extensions of existing electrifications are permitted to follow the same system as that originally favoured.