Preparing for Increased Traffic.

Happily trade is now improving in Britain, and freight traffic is moving in greater volume than for some time past. Whether or not this state of affairs will continue, remains to be seen. In any event, the four group railways appear confident in the ultimate restoration of trade, judging by their activities in goods wagon building.

Most Home railway wagons are constructed in the railway shops, and the 1933 wagon-building programme of the London, Midland and Scottish system may be taken as typical of the Home railways' efforts as a whole. During the present year the L.M. and S. Company hope to build 3,107 new wagons and 950 new containers. The conversion also is planned of 1,000 existing wagons and 50 existing containers to types more suitable to modern conditions.

The new L.M. and S. goods wagons comprise nine different types, including 12-ton wagons fitted with the continuous brake for express services; 12-ton cattle trucks; 12-ton covered vans; 20-ton covered vans for grain in bulk; 20-ton tube wagons; gunpowder vans; chassis for containers; and brake vans. The L.M. and S. have now about 3,700 containers in service, and the marked advantages attached to this form of transport are daily becoming more and more appreciated by shippers.

In addition to building most of its goods wagons, the L.M. and S. Railway constructs in its own shops the majority of the passenger stock operated over the system. With a view to adding to passenger convenience and comfort many new and novel features are now included page 24 in the design and construction of L.M. and S. passenger carriages. The latest innovation is the introduction on the sleeping-cars intended for Anglo-Scottish working, of a new air scoop ventilation system.

Under this system, fresh air is forced into the side corridor of the car by means of air scoops fitted to the body side, and arranged in series to operate according to the direction of travel, the air being cleaned by passing over oil filters. Roof extractors draw the stale air from the sleeping compartments, and the difference of pressure in the compartments and the corridor causes fresh air to flow through louvre vents in the bottom of the compartment sliding doors, these vents being under the control of the individual passenger. There is a heavy night movement of travellers between English and Scottish points, and the sleeping-cars of both the L.M. and S. and the L. and N.E. Railways, are built on especially comfortable lines.