Railway-owned Hotels.

One of the most interesting features of passenger department development in recent times has been the growth, in almost every land, of page 18 the railway-owned hotel. By the four group railways of Britain there are maintained chains of guest-houses catering for the needs of the traveller in most admirable fashion, and the operation of these hotels is not only in itself a paying proposition, but is the means of much business being drawn to the train services of the respective lines.

London has numerous railway-owned hotels. In the provinces almost every city has one, if not more, railway-owned guest-house for the accommodation of travellers. A further development has been the opening of sumptuous railway-owned hotels in scenic territory removed from the principal centres of population, but likely to prove of service to the tourist and sports lover. Examples of this type of railway-owned hotel are found in the London, Midland and Scottish Company's Gleneagles establishment, and the Bovey Tracey Hotel of the Great Western Railway, in picturesque Devonshire.

Usually the hotels manager is also charged with the supervision of refreshment room and dining-car services, and, in recent years, the growth of the catering department has been very striking. Apart from the operation of dining-cars and station restaurants, a feature which may interest New Zealand railway folk is the successful experiment of the Great Western Railway in sending page-boys with chocolates, cigarettes, fruit and light refreshments, on excursion and other trains on which restaurant car facilities are not provided, and stops not made at stations furnished with refreshment rooms.