Railway Electrification In Britain.

Electrification of many suburban sections of the main-line railways serving London is likely to be put in hand in the near future. For almost twenty years the desirability for the change from steam to electric haulage in this important area has been recognised, but financial and other obstacles have, until recently, rendered the conversion impracticable. One railway—the Southern—has, since the Great War, tackled the problem of London electrification in earnest. While steam operation is still adhered to in the case of the majority of the main-lines out of the metropolis, on the Southern Railway almost the whole of the residential territory lying to the south of the Thames is now served by fast and frequent schedules of electric trains giving rapid, comfortable and clean movement of a kind much appreciated by the suburbanite.

The big new electrification schemes which are likely to be undertaken concern the London and North Eastern, and the London, Midland and Scottish systems. The work involves the electrification of most of the principal railway routes leading northwards and eastwards from the city, and it will call for the expenditure of immense sums on track and train equipment. In the case of the L. and N.E. Company, the principal termini affected are Liverpool Street, on the old “Great Eastern” section of the group system, and King's Cross, on the “Great Northern” division of the line. Liverpool Street, by an intensive steam train service, handles something like 30 per cent. of London's rail-borne workers. About a thousand trains leave the station daily, and apart from the heavy suburban business, there is an important fast passenger movement between Liverpool Street and Harwich in connection with the regular daily steamship services to and from the Continent. At King's Cross there are handled such world-famed Anglo-Scottish trains as the “Flying Scotsman,” and the “Queen of Scots Pullman,” as well as a heavy suburban business with stations like Finsbury Park, Highgate, Finchley, Edgeware, High Barnet and Welwyn. The L.M. and S. electrification will be centred on the commodious termini of Euston and St. Pancras, both of which stations deal with important main-line and suburban services. At the outset there will be undertaken the electrification of the lines lying within a radius of twenty or thirty miles of the city. Ultimately, it is probable the electrification will be extended further afield.

Electric and Oil-electric Traction.

At the present time a good deal of experimental work is being undertaken with page 18 oil-electric traction. Following the successful introduction of Diesel-electric railcars and trains in several countries, it has been suggested that oil-electric haulage with self-contained units, which are virtually power plants on wheels, offers a cheaper and more satisfactory system of transport than that afforded by electrification as it is commonly understood. Power houses, transmission lines, substations, and so on, are costly items, and one of the big arguments in favour of Diesel-electric traction is that equipment of this character is rendered unnecessary

Wicker Goods Station, L.M. and S. Railway, Sheffield.

by the use of the oil-electric train. For the present, most of us will retain an open mind on the problem of the relative merits of electric and oil-electric haulage. In thisconnection, a most illuminating paper was recently submitted to the Institution of Civil Engineers, by Mr. H. W. Richards, Electrical Engineer of the L. and N.E. Railway.

Mr. Richards estimates that to deal with existing steam conditions in Britain the total oil-electric power required would be approximately 15,000,000 h.p. On an average load factor of 50 per cent. the total brake horse-power of the steam turbines, or other prime movers, needed in electric power stations to supply the hightension transmission system for electrified railways is put at 3,450,000 h.p. The weight required for electric tractors is estimated at 845,000 tons, and for oilelectric tractors 1,307,000 tons. In Mr. Richards’ view, the capital costs of electric and oil-electric traction approximate very closely at a traffic density of 4,000,000 for main-line services, and 2,000,000 for suburban services, but as the traffic density increases electric traction becomes progressively cheaper. Another interesting conclusion is that in the case of electric traction, at traffic densities greater than 2,500,000, a return of from 5 to 12 ½ per cent. would be earned, whereas, in the case of Diesel-electric traction the return would rarely reach 5 per cent.

King's Cross Station, London, with “Flying Scotsman” on the right.

at traffic densities greater than 2,500,000. While refraining from any definite recommendation, the whole trend of Mr. Richards’ analysis was decidedly in favour of electric as against oil-electric traction.

Modern Marshalling Yard Equipment.

Freight marshalling yard mechanisation is much to the fore these days. In Britain, the installation some four years ago of Froelich hydraulic brakes at the March “Up” yard of the L. and N.E. Railway created something of a sensation. Now there is to be recorded another interesting development, in the introduction at the “Down” section of the same yard of two Eddy Current rail brakes. The “Down” sidings of the March hump yard accommodate 6,000 wagons, and the operation of the electro-magnetic rail brakes is controlled from a central tower page 19 or cabin. The overall length of the retarder is 70 feet. Two brake beams extend for its full length, and these are capable of limited movement towards, or away from, the running rails, hinged bolts being employed for their fastening. Springs constrain the movement and return the beams to normal position when the brake is not energised. Each double rail retarder is fitted with twenty magnets, ten per rail, these being mounted horizontally immediately beneath the rail.

The retarders are very simply operated from the control tower, the retarder control handles and the hump signal control, together with indication lamps, being mounted on a sloping panel, placed at such a height that the operator may sit before it with an unobstructed view. Fortynine quick-acting electric point machines operate all the points. Green indication lamps on the panel shew the position of the points, a red indication shewing when the track over the points is occupied. Thumb switches for the control of signals and route indicators are also mounted on the control panel. To minimise the work of the signalman controlling the points, the first seven sets of points leading into the sorting sidings are automatically set by the wagons as they pass over them.

Interior of Control Tower, March “Down” Yard, L. and N.E. Railway.

Queen Victoria's Saloon Car.

Interesting relics of the nineteenth century railway operation abound in England. The Railway Museum at York is full of such exhibits, while the Science Museum at South Kensington, London, is also packed tight with early railway pieces. Recently there has been placed on show at the Derby works of the L.M. and S. Railway a most historic exhibit in the shape of Queen Victoria's special saloon car, which she always used in her journeys between London, Windsor, and Scotland.

Queen Victoria was no lover of fast travel, but the saloon on show at Derby shews she appreciated homely comfort. The saloon is divided into two sections for day and night use respectively, the sleeping section being in the centre of the car with a dressing-room adjoining. Crimson figured chintz upholstery is employed in the sleeping saloon, with a rooflining of white watered-silk. The day section is upholstered in royal blue watered-silk, with walls matching the furniture. An interesting feature is the provision of both oil lamps and electric lights. The L.M. and S. Railway always has taken immense pride in its Royal trains, and one may be sure this relic of Queen Victoria will ever be cherished by the railway authorities.

Railwayman: “Wonderful smoke this National Tobacco. I believe it is the healthiest tobacco on the market.“
Man behind the Counter: “Yes, I smoke it myself. Apart from the fact that the tobacco is one hundred per cent. in quality, it is produced by a company that is one hundred per cent. New Zealand. I believe that company pays hundreds of thousands to the Government in freight and taxes and employs over a thousand workers. Why, dash it all, the more we smoke the better for the country; and the loyal way the company sticks to the Railways in fares and freight, helps to keep the railwaymen in their jobs.”