A New chapter in transportation's story in the London area was begun a few weeks ago, with the opening of the electric services of the Southern Railway between the metropolis and Reading, and also via Ascot, Camberley and Aldershot to Guilford. This extension added 43 route and 88 track miles to the Southern electric system, giving a total of 622 route and 1,582 track-miles. Conditions in the territory served are peculiarly favourable to electrification, indeed, without electrification, the Southern would have been quite unable to handle the ever-growing traffic of the area, particularly during the morning and evening peak periods. Actually, on each week-day, the London terminal stations of this company receive 2,545 passenger trains, conveying over 370,000 passengers. During three rush hours—7.0 a.m. to 10.0 a.m.—540 trains arrive daily with 243,000 passengers, while the return evening traffic is similarly concentrated. Apart from the increased number of trains possible with electrification, the electric trains have remarkably quick acceleration, for within thirty seconds of starting they are moving at 30 m.p.h. This, and the benefits secured through the introduction of modern colour light signalling, has been an immense contribution to the successful handling of traffic.

In the case of the new Reading line electrification, thirty-six electric trains now take the place of the twenty steam trains formerly run each week-day between Waterloo and Reading. The average journey time, also, has been reduced by eleven minutes. The rolling-stock for the Reading electrification consists of 36 new two-coach lavatory motor-train units of a similar type to those employed in the London-Portsmouth services. Each unit consists of a motor coach and a trailer with driving compartment. At peak hours, two or more train units are coupled together to form trains of up to eight vehicles. Important station remodelling works have proceeded at the same time, notably at Egham, Virginia Water and Sunningdale. The electrification in the Ascot area will prove of especial benefit on race days, while in the Camberley and Aldershot area many important military establishments welcome the improved services.