Storekeeping.

At December, 1926, the value of the stocks of stores and materials held by the group railways of Britain totalled £22,876,375, representing £1,125 per route mile, or £439 per single line mile, including sidings. In a single year

The Central Passenger Depot, Bremen, Germany.

page 22 something like £50,000,000 is spent by the four groups in materials of one kind and another. Having regard to these enormous figures, it is natural that vast attention should be paid to the question of stores department organisation and working.

Storekeeping in its many phases was thoughtfully dwelt upon in a lecture delivered the other day by Lieut.-Col. C. J. Francis, stores superintendent of the Southern Railway, to graduates and students of the Institute of Transport.

Among the points brought out by Col. Francis was the important one that, in arranging contracts, the stores superintendent should include as many commodities as possible where prices are stable, and stipulate that all orders should be executed within a prescribed period. This not only keeps stocks down to a minimum, but also enables many articles which are not frequently used to be eliminated from stock altogether and purchased specially as and when required. Sufficient time should always be given by the using departments in ordering materials to allow the storekeeper to secure them on the most favourable terms. Buying in a hurry, it was rightly pointed out, is invariably a bad business proposition.

On the subject of the standardisation and simplification of stocks, Col. Francis had much of interest to say: this was a most urgent need. The initiative in regard to standardisation of common-user materials should be taken by the stores superintendent, but in regard to standard parts for locomotives, passenger and goods vehicles, signals, telephones and telegraphs, lighting and technical equipment for other services, the primary responsibility rested with the chiefs of the departments concerned, although the various departments should work in close co-operation with the stores people in the preparation of standard stock lists.

Long experience in the railway game has taught the writer the great need for increased co-operation between the stores people and the using departments. There is a tremendous field for saving in the stores bill, and if every individual railway worker, no matter what his job may be, would exercise just a little more care in the use of the tools and equipment with which he is provided, the resultant economy would be enormous. We are all apt at times to be a little prodigal in the use of other people's property. A moment's thought will afford realisation that when a railwayman effects even the slightest to savings in the stores bill of his line, he is in reality doing himself a good turn and making his job additionally secure, by bettering the financial position of the undertaking he is privileged to serve.

New type of observation car for use on Trans-Canada Limited. Canadian-Pacific Railway.