Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 6, Issue 4 (September 1, 1931.)

Our London Letter

page 21

Our London Letter

Co-ordination of inland transport in its several forms is a topic to which much consideration is now being devoted throughout the world. More especially is attention being turned to the respective parts that should be played in national transportation schemes by railways and roads. At Home a special commission appointed by the Government two years ago to examine these questions has just issued its report, and this document—extending to some two hundred and forty pages—contains much of interest for railwaymen the world over. In his present contribution, our Special London Correspondent makes interesting reference to this report and reviews current railway developments in Britain and on the Continent.

Whatever else may happen,” says the report of the British Government's Commission on the coordination of transport, “it is clear that the maintenance of an efficient railway system is a national necessity.” Difficulties at present facing the railways are ascribed to (1) continued depression in trade, especially in the “heavy” industries; and (2) the competition of the road carrier and privately-owned motor-car. The first-named is put as the most serious obstacle to railway prosperity, and it is noted that a return of industrial prosperity would speedily bring greatly increased business to the railways. Curiously enough, the Commission does not recommend the wholesale acquisition by railways of road carrying undertakings, being of the belief that the money could be better spent on suburban electrification in the neighbourhood of the big cities. It is suggested that railway passenger time-tables should be completely overhauled, and the fullest use made of the railway's capacity for speed in short and moderate distance journeys. Irritating restrictions associated with the issues of excursion tickets should be cut out; little used and unremunerative branch lines should be closed; a larger number of high capacity goods wagons should be introduced; and more containers should be employed for handling miscellaneous freight. Much heavy traffic at present moving by road should pass by railway, and there should be a pooling of resources at points where more than one railway company operates.

Many years ago the problem of rail-road co-ordination was met to some small degree by the haulage over the Home railways of stage coaches which, at either end of the rail journey, took to the road and covered considerable mileages as ordinary horse-drawn vehicles. Now-a-days the stage coach is unknown, but one Home railway, at any rate, is seeking to solve the time-worn problem of producing a practicable vehicle that can travel either on rail or road.

page 22

The Novel “Ro-railer” Unit.

By the London, Midland and Scottish line there has just been introduced a novel railroad travel unit styled the “Ro-railer,” which in its appearance differs little from the conventional road motor coach. It seats 26 passengers, and its engine, developing a maximum horse-power of 120, is equipped with a supplementary gearbox giving increased speeds on long railway runs with lower engine speed. To enable the
A Flourishing Railway-Owned Hotel. The Tregenna Castle Hotel of the Great Western Line in picturesque Cornwall.

A Flourishing Railway-Owned Hotel.
The Tregenna Castle Hotel of the Great Western Line in picturesque Cornwall.

“Ro-railer” to run on either rail or road, special flanged rail wheels are fitted to the axles. On the outside of these are placed pneumatic-tyred road wheels, mounted on eccentrics fitted to an extension of the axles through the rail wheels. When on the road, the road wheels are locked concentrically to the rail wheels, which are of smaller diameter, and clear of the road. When on the rail, they can be raised by giving them half a turn. They are then locked to the chassis, and do not revolve. For road to rail transference, the “Ro-railer” is driven on to the rails at any point where the road has been made up level with the railtops. Then, with the rail wheels directly over the rails, it is driven forward for a few yards. On reaching the point where the made-up road is tapered off, the rail wheels gradually come in contact with the rails and take the weight of the vehicle off the road wheels. The changeover normally occupies from two and a half to five minutes. The “Ro-railer,” built by Karrier Motors, Ltd., of Hudderfield, has been designed principally for branch-line operation, and one would imagine a handy vehicle of this description would be of real service in a country like New Zealand. The system is, of course, equally applicable to freight transport, an ordinary truck body being then employed in place of the passenger body.

Railway-owned Hotels.

In the infancy of the “Iron Way,” a railway was a carrying concern purely and simply. When he won fame with his Stockton and Darlington and Liverpool and Manchester Railway achievements, George Stephenson never visualised those undertakings engaging in any noteworthy activity beyond that of rail conveyance proper. To-day, however, subsidiary businesses conducted by the more progressive railways throughout the world rank as of immense importance. Many are in themselves highly profitable: almost all bring much grist to the railway mill.

Among the many outside activities of the Home railways that have proved to be well page 23 worth while, that of hotel operation is of outstanding note. Britain's railway-owned guest-houses to-day actually form the most important group of hotels in Europe, and the biggest railway—the London, Midland and Scottish—operates a vast chain of twenty-eight first-class hotels situated up and down the system. By the London and North Eastern line some twenty-two hotels are owned and operated; the Southern has four commodious hotels of its own; and the Great Western also operates four splendid hotels. Through hotel operation the L. M. and S. Railway annually secures a profit of about £200,000, and thousands of travellers are drawn to the rail route as a result of the convenience offered by these establishments.

A Gem Of British Ecclesiastical Architecture. Durham Cathedral and Castle, on the route of the “Flying Scotsman.”

A Gem Of British Ecclesiastical Architecture.
Durham Cathedral and Castle, on the route of the “Flying Scotsman.”

Two noteworthy projects of the Home railways in recent times have been the opening of the Gleneagles Hotel of the L.M. and S. Railway, in the heart of the Scottish Highlands; and the opening by the Great Western Railway of the super-sports hotel at the Devonshire beauty spot of Moretonhampstead. In Ireland, too, the railways have launched forth as hotel-owners with marked success, and much tourist business has been brought to Erin's Isle as a direct consequence of this enterprise.

Famous British Trains.

Passenger carriages employed by the Home railways comprise some exceptionally comfortable stock, and additions are constantly being made to keep this stock up-to-date. By the L. and N.E. line, for example, new train sets recently have been introduced in the important express services between the northern industrial centres of Leeds and the Scottish cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow. The most important daily train in this service is the 8.55 a.m. Leeds to Glasgow, which arrives at Glasgow (264 miles distant) at 3.6 p.m., returning from Glasgow at 4.0 p.m., and reaching Leeds at 10.28 p.m., thus completing a daily round trip of 528 miles. Breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner are served en route. For this service an entirely new train set consists of eight cars, each 61ft. 6in. long, with a total weight of 274 tons. The vehicles, built in the railway shops at Doncaster, comprise a brake first, a semi-open first, a restaurant car third, an open car, two corridor thirds, a brake third, and a brake composite (first and page 24 third). Seats are provided in all for 66 first and 250 third-class passengers.

This train, like the “Flying Scotsman” of the same line, is exceedingly popular with business men. The “Flying Scotsman” weighs about 400 tons, and 360 passengers are carried. Both these trains have automatic couplings and Pullman vestibules, and in each case a further safety factor is provided in the complete elimination of gas, all the vehicles being electrically lighted and the whole of the cooking carried out by electricity. The L. and N.E. line, it may be noted, is a world pioneer in the provision of electric cooking for express trains, it actually having set our go-ahead American cousins a lead in this matter.

The Trend of Railway Progress.

One usually pictures the railway system of the future as being formed of a network of electrically worked main-lines with innumerable road motor lines serving as feeders thereto. This is the direction in which most European railways are now moving, and in the main-line electrification field steady progress continues to be recorded. Austria already has some 500 route miles of track operated by electricity, and now comes
Behind The Scenes On The Home Railways. The Main Booking Office, L.M. & S. Railway, Derby, England.

Behind The Scenes On The Home Railways.
The Main Booking Office, L.M. & S. Railway, Derby, England.

the news of the proposed early electrification of the remaining steam-operated mainlines linking Vienna with the surrounding capitals, a move that would enable through electric trains to be run right across Austria, from Geneva and Basle in Switzerland, to Budapest in Hungary.

Single-phase alternating current of 15,000 volts is employed in Austria, and as alternating current is also used on the neighbouring railways of Germany and Switzerland, through working is a relatively simple affair. Some 300 miles of 55 k.v. overhead transmission lines connect the power stations with the railway substations, where the current is stepped down to 15 k.v. Thirteen different types of electric locomotives are utilised for train haulage, fast passenger locomotives being of the 2-6+6-2, 2-6-2, 2-8-2, and 0-4+4-0 types. Much of the route covered by the Austrian Government Railways is of a mountainous character, and immense demands are made upon locomotives. Serious restrictions on speed are imposed by the heavy grades existing, but the electric locomotives are able to haul much heavier loads than the steam machines formerly employed, at almost double the speed hitherto booked.

page 25
“While here at home, in shining day. We round the sunny garden play…”—Robert Louis Stevenson. Our Children's Gallery.—(1) Phyllis and Henry Smith (Wanganui); (2) Charles, Ray, David and Connie May (North Auckland); (3) Doris Haynes (Shannon); (4) Joan Barnes (Dunedin); (5) Audrey and Walter Hall (Wellington); (6) Leslie Charles Mayle (Raetihi); (7) Betty Marlow (Wanganui); (8) Billy Gray (Oamaru); (9) Robert Harrington (Waipukurau); (10) Trevor James Wadsworth (Waipara); (11) Colin Jones (Wanganui); (12) Ngaire Walker (Ngaio); (13) Agnes Clapp (Auckland), Rex Clapp (Wellington), Willie Clapp (Auckland), Patricia Clapp (Auckland) and Georgie Prattley (Paekakariki); (14) Tommy, Velma and Bobbie Read (Paekakariki).

While here at home, in shining day. We round the sunny garden play…”—Robert Louis Stevenson.
Our Children's Gallery.—(1) Phyllis and Henry Smith (Wanganui); (2) Charles, Ray, David and Connie May (North Auckland); (3) Doris Haynes (Shannon); (4) Joan Barnes (Dunedin); (5) Audrey and Walter Hall (Wellington); (6) Leslie Charles Mayle (Raetihi); (7) Betty Marlow (Wanganui); (8) Billy Gray (Oamaru); (9) Robert Harrington (Waipukurau); (10) Trevor James Wadsworth (Waipara); (11) Colin Jones (Wanganui); (12) Ngaire Walker (Ngaio); (13) Agnes Clapp (Auckland), Rex Clapp (Wellington), Willie Clapp (Auckland), Patricia Clapp (Auckland) and Georgie Prattley (Paekakariki); (14) Tommy, Velma and Bobbie Read (Paekakariki).

page 26