Record Summer Travel.

Awonderfully successful summer holiday season has been experienced by the Home railways. Hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Empire Exhibition at Glasgow have been transported by the four group lines; the impressive Military Tattoo at Aldershot—now an outstanding annual event—called for the running of no fewer than 206 special trains; while to Home and continental holiday resorts there has been an exceptionally heavy passenger movement.

Enterprising excursion ideas by the score have, this season, been evolved by the railways, most of these aiming at popularising long-distance travel by rail, road and steamer. Taking advantage of cheap excursion fares, London's millions have been able to travel by day and half-day excursion trains to all corners of the country at trifling cost. Countryside outings by combined rail and road, and rail, road and river-steamer services have been a feature. These outings have varied from a conducted tour through Windsor Castle, with tea on a Thames river-steamer en route to Magna Charta Island, to organised rambles through the New Forest, and day trips by rail and road through the Shakespeare Country, the Peak District, Lincolnshire and Suffolk. Educational excursions have been well patronised, as, for example, half-day trips to Bath with a conducted tour of the Roman baths, an attractive motor-coach tour of the surrounding countryside (with tea provided), all for an inclusive fare of 11/3 from London.

The distance which it is possible to cover by special day trips is increasing enormously. Thus, this season special excursions have been run from London to Oban, in Scotland, for steamer cruises to the islands of Staffa and Iona, 1,100 miles being covered between Friday evening and Sunday morning at a cost of less than £2. Excursions to the continent have drawn thousands of passengers of all ages. Here are a few examples of the good fare offered this season: An excursion from London to Rouen, France, including a tour of the surrounding country, and giving 22 hours in France for 25s. A trip from London to Brussels, covering travel, three meals, and a conducted tour of the city, for 30s. Sixteen hours on the Belgian coast for 27s. Id. Seventeen hours in Holland for 57s. 7d. Truly, the railways have opened up a new world of adventure for the excursionist!