Transporting Fish.

Fish traffic forms a most profitable business for the Home railways, and to move the millions of tons of this traffic which comes forward every month during the season, special wagons and unique handling devices are employed. (writes our special London Correspondent). The L. & N. E. line is the principal fish-carrying route. In a single week as many as 4,000 trucks of fish are loaded at L. & N. E. stations, and to provide for this traffic some 2,500 covered wagons and 500 open trucks are employed. The largest type of fish truck takes the form of a ventilated wagon of 15 tons capacity, 45 feet in length, fitted with a cement floor with drainage holes.

Fish loaded on rail at the ports is regularly delivered to consignees in London and other consuming centres early the following morning. To achieve this prompt transit, specially fast trains are operated. The 1-45 p.m. fish train from Aberdeen to London covers the 522 miles to King's Cross in 11 hours 40 minutes—a speed of 45 miles an hour. Another service from Mallaig to London gives a quick transit of 15 3/4 hours for the 597 mile run. The maximum load of these trains works out at 30 wagons, or when two locomotives are employed 42 wagons. At the fish section at King's Cross freight station as many as 150 trucks of fish are unloaded daily. The fish is carted by the railway horse teams to the wholesale market, and again carted by the railway vans from the market to the purchasers’ premises in the city.

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