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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 12, Issue 4 (July 1, 1937)

Our London Letter — London to Edinburgh in Six Hours

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Our London Letter
London to Edinburgh in Six Hours
.

New streamlined steam passenger services, between London and Scotland, are a feature of the summer working on the Home railways. Commencing, on July 5, streamlined expresses are being run between King's Cross Station, London, and Waverley Station, Edinburgh, over the London and North Eastern route; and between Euston Station, London, and Central Station, Glasgow, over the metals of the London, Midland and Scottish Company. These new daily services, in both directions, bring Edinburgh within six hours of London, and Glasgow within 6½ hours of the metropolis. In September, another daily “streamliner” will operate in both directions between London (King's Cross) and the Yorkshire industrial centres of Leeds and Bradford. These trains will maintain an average speed of 68 m.p.h. Streamlined “Pacifics” have for some time been successfully employed in the “Silver Jubilee” express service of the L. and N.E. line between London and Newcastle-on-Tyne, and it is interesting to note that for the new L.M. and S. express service between Euston and Glasgow streamlined “Princess Elizabeth” type of locomotives are utilised. While streamlining is not essential to the maintenance of high speeds over long distances, experience has shown how great are the increased economies realisable through streamlining at speeds over 70 m.p.h. In the London-Scotland runs, now being introduced, speeds of over 70 m.p.h. are reached, and exceeded, on suitable sections of track.

While southern England has nothing really spectacular to offer this year in the way of new express trains, on the Southern Railway, Coronation year is being marked by the completion early this month of the electrification of the main-line between Waterloo Station, London, and Portsmouth. The naval base of Portsmouth, and the ever popular holiday haunt, the Isle of Wight, are being served by 48 new trains, with a total passenger carrying capacity of 18,000.

Handling the Coronation Crowds.

Looking back, the Home railways may rightly pride themselves upon their achievements in the handling of the Coronation crowds. May 12 was, of course, a public holiday, but there was little rest for the railwayman on that occasion! Special services of boat trains were run from all the principal ports of disembarkation, and hundreds of special trains were arranged to London from all corners of the country. On Coronation day itself, the four group lines operated more than 200 long-distance excursion trains to London, in addition to the ordinary services, while for some days previous, tens of thousands of sight-seers were conveyed to the capital by rail. For the first time in their history, the London Underground Railways ran right throughout the night on May 11–12 for
Circulating area, Glasgow Central Station, L.M. and S. Railway.

Circulating area, Glasgow Central Station, L.M. and S. Railway.

the transport of Coronation crowds. For the special Coronation festivities throughout the country, with their wonderful decorations and illuminations, augmented services of special trains were operated, while for those wishing to see the decorations, illuminations and flood-lighting in London, extensive programmes of day, half-day, and evening trains were arranged. Following the Coronation, came the great Coronation Naval Review at Spithead. For this event a long string of special trains were operated, while two L. and N.E.R. steamers made a special cruise from Harwich to Spithead with a large party of spectators. Railway premises everywhere were gaily decorated, and altogether the railways may be said to have themselves emerged from the Coronation with “flying colours”!

Some Notable Railway Centenaries.

A century ago, railway transport in Britain was rapidly entering a boom period. The year 1837 was an espe- page 20

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(Photo., courtesy French National Tourist Office collection.) The Harbour, St. Malo, France.

(Photo., courtesy French National Tourist Office collection.)
The Harbour, St. Malo, France.

cially important one in the growth of some of the pioneer lines now embraced within the L.M. and S. system. In view of the present reconstruction of the Euston terminus in London, particular interest attaches to the centenary now being celebrated of the opening of the first sections of the London and Birmingham Railway. (Euston to Boxmoor, 24½ miles, July 20, 1837; and Boxmoor to Tring, 7½ miles, October 16, 1837). Associated with this centenary, is that of the first application of the electric telegraph to railway operation, Wheat-stone's apparatus being tried out over a distance of 1½ miles between Euston and Camden Town on July 25, 1837. Another important line now forming part of our largest group system, and opened for traffic a century ago, was the Grand Junction Railway, opened from Birmingham to Warrington, on July 4, 1837. A short line from Paisley to Renfrew, in Scotland, opened in April, 1837, had the feature not then uncommon of being worked by horse-haulage. In Scotland, too, a couple of railway projects received government approval in 1837. There was the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway; and the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway, both of which had their birth at this period. To-day, Glasgow Central Station is a great hive of L.M. and S. activity in Scotland, being the northern terminus of the new fast streamlined services from London, and the centre of a dense suburban traffic area.

Traffic Between Britain and France.

Heavy passenger business this season is expected between Britain and France, many of our Coronation visitors rounding off their European trip by attending the vast International Exhibition being held in Paris from May to November. Passenger movement to and from France is largely in the hands of the Southern Railway, which owns 47 sea-going vessels, manned by 1,000 officers and men. Last year these vessels steamed 612,162 seamiles, conveying 4,000,000 passengers, 200,000 tons of cargo, and 42,359 motorcars. Dover, Folkestone, Newhaven and Southampton are the main jumping-off points for France, steamship services operating between these points and the French ports of Dunkirk, Calais, Boulogne, Dieppe, Le Havre and St. Malo. Between London-Dover-Calais-Paris, the Southern Railway of England and the Northern Railway of France operate the daily “Golden Arrow” service—the fastest link between the two capitals. An alternative means of passage, for those who dread the usual Channel crossing, is provided by the new Channel train-ferry between
Freight traffic at Dunford Bridge on the L. and N.E. Railway, Sheffield-Manchester route.

Freight traffic at Dunford Bridge on the L. and N.E. Railway, Sheffield-Manchester route.

Dover and Dunkirk. Opened last October, the ferry conveyed up to the end of 1936 some 12,460 passengers and 8,559 tons of cargo.

Railway Concessions in France.

Fast and comfortable travel at remarkably cheap rates is this year offered by the French railways. Circular tickets allow break of journey without extra charge. Fifty per cent, reduction is quoted for party travel (not less than 10 persons). Free transport of motor-cars is allowed when several persons travel together, and the free allowance of luggage has been increased up to 66 lbs. per passenger. On the Paris, Lyons and Mediterranean and Paris-Orleans lines, special new sleeping-cars have recently been introduced. The Paris-Orleans cars consist of converted composite day coaches. These formerly had six first, four second, and two third-class compartments. In the first and second-class compartments, the partitions have been removed, and new ones, spaced at 6ft. 2in. apart, installed. In each of the new compartments, two bunks—an upper and a lower—are provided. These run the full length of the compartment, and are 25¼ inches wide. The third-class compartments have been converted into sleeping sections, each with an upper, middle and lower bunk, running across the car. Night travel grows in popularity throughout Europe.

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