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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 12, Issue 11 (February 1, 1938)

Immense Coal Traffic

Immense Coal Traffic.

The handling of enormous quantities of coal traffic is a feature of Home railway activities at this season. The London, Midland & Scottish, and London & North Eastern lines are the biggest coal carriers. On the L. M. & S. as much as 74,000,000 tons of coal, coke and patent fuel is conveyed in a year, and of this vast tonnage no less than 62,000,000 tons actually originates at coal mines in L. M. & S. territory. Immense yards at Willesden and Cricklewood, just outside the metropolis, receive the long coal trains from the mines, with their loads intended for the London markets. In these yards the trains are broken up, and distributed to the suburbs, docks and other destinations. A great deal of the coal handled travels in privately-owned wagons provided by the mines and merchants. The balance is carried in railway-owned trucks, many of which are high capacity vehicles.
“Llantilis Castle,” one of the latest Great Western Express passenger locomotives.

“Llantilis Castle,” one of the latest Great Western Express passenger locomotives.

Depots for coal sales are prvided by the railways in all big cities. There delivery is taken of wagon-load consignments, and facilities afforded coal merchants for retail selling. Most of our coal deposits lie in the midlands and north, and in South Wales. In recent years, new deposits have been worked in Kent, and this new coal-field is served exclusively by the Southern Railway.