Overhead Railways

Bearing in mind the utility of the overhead railway under certain circumstances, is it not a trifle surprising how few railways of this character have actually been brought into service? America probably leads in the utilisation of the overhead railway, while Germany also possesses a notable example in the Barmen-Elberfeld overhead electric line (writes our London Correspondent).

Britain's only overhead railway worthy of the name is the Liverpool overhead system. This line runs north and south parallel with the River Mersey, and has been a boon to Liverpool suburbanites for thirty-six years. The line is formed of wrought iron girders, 16 feet above ground level, supported on columns; the longest span on the system being a bow-string span of 98 feet. Between the girders there is a continuous flooring of arched plates, this flooring being almost noiseless under traffic. The track consists of flat-bottomed steel rails of 601bs. per yard, laid on longitudinal sleepers, held in position by lugs riverted to the flooring plates. Automatic signalling is installed throughout, with modern colour-light signals. The basis of the signalling arrangements is to permit of a two minutes' service of passenger trains throughout. Trains on the Liverpool overhead railway are formed of electric motor and trailer cars, and the principal service operated is that between Liverpool and the seaside resort of Southport. A trip over this unique railway may be whole-heartedly commended to the visitor to Britain anxious to secure a peep at the shipping on the Mersey and the many interesting activities associated with life in a great seaport.