The activity of the Home Railways in the operation of road motor services, and the famous new Underground Station at Piccadilly Circus, are discussed by our special London Correspondent, in his current letter. He also makes interesting reference to European Railway development and to the notable part played by the Railways in the recent speedy transport across Europe of the Prince of Wales, and to the Channel Tunnel project.

Road and Rail Transport Co-ordination

In previous letters appearing in these pages the need for railways to embark upon a bold road transport policy has been discussed. Rail and road transport are complementary one to the other, and there is no agency better equipped to carry on the business of road transport than the railway. Through failure to tackle the road competition question promptly and in bold fashion much valuable ground has been lost in Britain, but during the past few weeks the Home railways have sprung into the arena, and new road services, operated by the group lines, are now being introduced in all directions.

Apart from putting on the road a large number of passenger-carrying vehicles of their own, the Home railways have recently acquired important interests in municipal and privately-owned motor omnibus services, which should prove of especial value. One of the most ambitious of these combinations is that effected between the London and North Eastern, and London, Midland and Scottish lines, and the Municipality of Sheffield. Under this fusion, provision is made for the joint operation of road transport services over a very extensive stretch of territory surrounding the great steel centre. The arrangement does not cover short distance travel within the boundaries of the city of Sheffield, but provides for a railway interest in all routes outside the city boundary. In the case of routes extending over short distances beyond the boundary, the motor omnibus services continue to be operated by the municipal authorities, but are controlled by a joint committee of municipal and railway officers, and the vehicles used bear the names of all three parties. The services are being arranged in such a way as to give the same co-ordination between the railway system and the road services, as would omnibus services operated by the railways on the same routes, independently of the municipality. On the longer runs, which comprise the road services between Sheffield and the towns of Bakewell, Barnsley, Buxton, Doncaster and Huddersfield, the railways alone will be concerned in the provision of passenger transport. The agreement is for ten years, and will thereafter be terminable by twelve months' notice on either side.

Further west, the L.M. and S. Railway has taken over from the Rochdale municipality the omnibus service between Rochdale and Halifax, a distance of eighteen miles, and is making twelve trips daily in each direction, between the two points. In Wales, the Great Western line has recently acquired a 50 per cent. interest in a large road carrying concern operating motor omnibus services in and around Cardiff, Bridgend page 19 and Monmouthshire. Here, again, the railways will not compete with the municipality within the city boundaries. Across the Channel, similar activities are being recorded on the parts of the Swiss, German, and French railways. By degrees all the European railways are becoming increasingly interested in road transport, and much desired coordinated movement by rail and road, of both passengers and merchandise, will thereby be accomplished.

New Passenger Station at Milan.

The admirable improvement works carried out on the Italian State Railways in recent years have previously been the subject of comment in these pages. Details have now been circulated of what ranks as one of the most important works included in the Italian railway improvement plan, viz., the reconstruction of the main passenger station at Milan. These details afford striking evidence of the ambitious fashion in which the Rome authorities are tackling the problem of railway rehabilitation.

Solving The Road Competition Problem.
One of the fleet of luxurious sixteen-seater motor cars operated by the Swiss Federal Railways, on organised sight-seeing tours, ascending the Grimsell Pass.

The new Milan terminal building will consist of a couple of lateral wings each 500ft. long and 33ft. wide, with a connecting portion, the whole forming roughly a horse-shoe. An arcaded carriage drive will run the full length of the depot at the front, and from this will be reached the imposing booking-hall, 210ft. in length and 110ft. in width. From the booking-hall two wide staircases will give access to the departure platforms, placed some 25ft. above street level. The main circulating area is to be 610ft. long and 73ft. wide. There will be 26 platform lines within the depot, and each line will be equipped with a 24ft. passenger platform and a service platform 13ft. wide. The lengths of the platforms will vary from 1,000 to 1,100ft. The service platforms are quite an innovation. They are intended to facilitate the handling of luggage and postal business, and are quite distinct from the passenger platforms proper. On completion, the new Milan depot will rank as one of the largest and best equipped passenger stations in Europe.

The New Piccadilly Circus Station.

The fame of the London underground railway system is already far-spread, but now this important transportation undertaking has again come into the limelight as the owner of the largest underground station in the world. This enormous depot is the new Piccadilly Circus page 20 Station, in the heart of the metropolis. The station has occupied five years in the construction, and is of a most unique character. Two tube stations—those of the Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines—have been superseded by the new structure, which is capable of handling fifty million passengers a year. So interesting is its interior, that this new station now ranks as one of the acknowledged show-places of the capital.

The main circulating area is only a few feet below the surface, and is fed by six subways. It is almost circular in shape, being an ellipse about 155ft. by 144ft., with a height of 9ft. Forty-two feet beneath the main hall is a lower hall, connection with which is afforded by means of five escalators. From this lower hall further flights of escalators, and stairs and passages, give access to the two railways beneath, each of which is at a different level. The lower hall comprises four arched bays and is 90ft. long by 32ft. wide. For the casual visitor greatest interest is attached to the main circulating area and booking hall. All around the hall there have been set up brilliantly illuminated showcases, occupied by the merchandise of the leading London stores. The floor of the hall is paved with large white tiles, and the ceiling of white fibrous plaster is divided into rectangular coffers. On the inner sides of the head-wall are oil-paintings of especial charm. The central compartment contains a map of the world, showing in a distinctive colour the British Empire, with the names of the capitals of the various Dominions and Colonies inscribed. Flanking the map are smaller panels bearing pictures illustrating the activities of the Underground in the sphere of urban and suburban transport. The lower hall has walls of silver-grey tiles with mauve borders, divided into poster panels, edged with blue. Lighting is effected by concealed electric lamps. The whole effect of the interior decoration is especially pleasing, and reflects the greatest credit upon the Underground authorities and all concerned in the design and construction of the station.

The World'S Biggest Underground Station.
General view of the circulating area of the new Piccadilly Circus Station in London.

A Spectacular Journey.

From time to time many spectacular railway journeys have been performed by individual globe-trotters, but there is probably no single journey which has attracted such widespread attention as the flight of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, from Central Africa to London, last December. The railways concerned were the State Railways of Italy, the Swiss Federal Railways, the Est and Nord Railways of France, and the Southern Railway of England. Thanks to the co-operation of these railways with the British Navy, the journey time was cut from twelve to nine and a half days, and the train conveying the Royal traveller from Brindisi to Boulogne, created a new speed record in European passenger train working. H.M.S. “Enterprise” left Dar-es-Salaam at 10 a.m. on December 2nd, and Suez was reached on December 7th. The H.M.S. “Enterprise” picked up the Prince once more at Port Said the following day, and Brindisi was reached at noon on December 10th. At 12.30 p.m. the special train placed at the Royal traveller's disposal by the Italian Government, left Brindisi, and the 640 mile run to Chiasso, on the Swiss frontier, was accomplished in a little over sixteen hours. From Chiasso, the Swiss Federal Railways took charge as far as Basle, and the 464 mile run from Basle to Boulogne was accomplished in record time. The Southern Railway cross-channel steamer and train journey was performed equally speedily, and the carrying out of the whole movement from Dar-es-Salaam is page 21 one in which all concerned may take rare pride.

Proposed Channel Tunnel.

Apropos of fast running to and from the Continent, it is interesting to note that, despite the opposition which has always existed to the construction of a channel tunnel, proposals are now on foot for the construction of a high-speed, broad-gauge railway, linking London with Paris, and including in its make-up a two-track tunnel beneath the Channel. The railway would be 7ft. gauge throughout, and this would involve the building of entirely new tracks on both sides of the water, these tracks presumably taking the place of the existing rail routes between London and the English southern coast, and Paris and the northern seabord of France. In all, the railway would be some 253 miles in length, and the method of haulage would be by means of electric motors having a gyroscopic action. The total cost of the proposed railway is said to be in the neighbourhood of £189,000,000, and this fact alone would seem to condemn the scheme at the outset. Admirable facilities for movement between London and Paris are already provided by the Southern Railway of England and the French Northern system, and, although the author of the scheme states that the Northern Railway would actually benefit by the project, it is difficult to follow his line of reasoning; and the Southern Railway of England may certainly be expected vigorously to oppose any plan such as this.

Railways As Dock-Owners.
Five Atlantic liners berthed in the Southern Railway Docks at Southampton.

An Interesting Type of Van.

For the transport of miscellaneous traffic by passenger train, there is a big field in which the car designer may exercise his ingenuity and produce an all-purpose vehicle capable of meeting the hundred-and-one needs of to-day. A most interesting type of van recently produced by the London and North Eastern line admirably solves this problem. This van, 45ft. 8in. over buffers, carries a load of 12 tons, and has a tare weight of 21 ¾ tons. It is fitted with Westinghouse, vacuum, and hand brakes. The floor is of steel, and the body of composite construction, with lower panels of steel. The van has folding and falling doors at each end for the admittance of wheeled vehicles, aeroplanes, theatrical scenery, and other bulky traffics. For the reception of mails, parcels, and small packages generally, hinged shelves are arranged in tiers along each side, these shelves folding back flush with the interior walls when not in use. Two pairs of folding doors with ordinary drop windows are placed at each side of the car.

“…Dimpling, the water falls, with here and there A glossy fly skimming in circlets gay …”
—James Grahame.
(Govt. Publicity Photo.)
The picturesque Waitakere Falls, Auckland, New Zealand.