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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 11, Issue 1 (April 1, 1936.)

OurLondon Letter — Progress on New Railway Works

page 38

OurLondon Letter
Progress on New Railway Works.

Progress on New Railway Works.

Steady progress is being made on the big Home railway improvement plan, aided by Government loans, to which reference was made last month. The various betterment works covered by the scheme may, at a later date, be supplemented by additional works of considerable magnitude, among which trunk line electrification may conceivably be to the fore. In well-informed circles, it is stated as likely that, within the next few years, a considerable part of the London & North Eastern main-line between London and Edinburgh will be converted to electricity. The London, Midland & Scottish Railway, also, have big electrification plans prepared, in readiness for the day when they feel justified in spending the very large sum of money such conversions would entail.

Until recently, electrification in Britain was mainly confined to suburban tracks, and the Southern line has been the pioneer of suburban electrification at Home. Now, however, main-line electrification is being undertaken by this Company, notably on its London-Portsmouth route; while the London and North Eastern authorities arc putting in hand the conversion from steam to electric traction of the Manchester—Sheffield main-line.

With the idea of securing the fullest benefits of standardisation, the Government laid it down some time ago that future main-line electrifications should all employ the high-voltage direct current system, at either 1,500 or 3,000 volts. An exception was made, inasmuch as extensions of existing electrifications are permitted to follow the same system as that originally favoured.

One Hundred Years Ago.

Railway centenaries have become quite common of late. Germany, Belgium, and our own Great Western Railway, have been in the limelight in this connection. Now, there is to be recorded the fact that just one hundred years have passed since discussion was first begun of the possibility of a railway connecting Manchester with Birmingham. The success of the Liverpool and Manchester line led to the formation of the Manchester and Birmingham Railway Company, and work was commenced on construction in 1839. The first 5 1/2 miles of line was opened for traffic in June, 1840, from Manchester to Heaton Norris, and thus one of our most vital transport links had its birth.

Actually, the Manchester and Birmingham line never reached the latter point. What happened was that, towards the end of 1840, construction expenses proved so high, that the original plan was dropped. Instead of building a new line to Birmingham, the Company constructed its tracks from Manchester to Crewe, at which point connection was effected with the already, existing Grand Junction Railway, linking Crewe with Birmingham. In 1846 the Manchester and Birmingham Railway was absorbed by the Grand Junction Company (which had by that time absorbed the Liverpool and Manchester system) and the London and Birmingham Railways, under the title of the “London & North Western Railway.” The L. & N.W. was one of Britain's most important lines in pre-grouping days. It was one of the principal components of the present L. M. & S. group, and, incidentally, boasted of possessing the finest running tracks of any railway in the world—a claim which, I believe, was never challenged.

Central Research Laboratory.

With the object of forwarding scientific research in its many applications to railway operation, the L. M. & S. Railway has opened at Derby a central research laboratory, which marks quite a new development. The laboratory consists of a two-story block, structurally designed to permit of the addition of a third story when required, with an engineering test-room and workshop block. The laboratory block has a total floor area on each floor of about 5,600 square feet, and the engineering test-room and workshop block covers an area of 3,500 ft. The rooms on the ground floor include a chemical laboratory, a metallography room, a pyrometry room, a corrosion
“Ganz” Railcar, Hungarian State Railways.

“Ganz” Railcar, Hungarian State Railways.

page 39 laboratory, a constant temperature and humidity room, two engineering testrooms, and a workshop and metallurgical furnace room. On the second floor there are testing laboratories for the examination of textile fabrics, paints and varnishes.

Vice-President Sir Harold Hartley has been appointed director of scientific research, and experts have been engaged to take charge of the various sections. There is undoubtedly a great need for close co-operation between the scientific mind and the railway mind. A laboratory such as this should enable many valuable economies to be effected in materials and working methods, and also ensure the best use being made of modern scientific developments as they affect railway operation.

The German National Railways.

More and more streamlined trains and railcars continue to be introduced on the European railways. In Germany, the first express railcar operated by the German National Railways —the famous “Flying Hamburger”—last year completed its 1,000th run between the capital and Hamburg.

Although generally believed to be the fastest passenger service in Germany, the “Flying Hamburger” is actually beaten by another railcar service—the “Flying Cologner,“—operating between Berlin and Cologne. This car, diesel-electric, covers the Berlin—Hanover section of its daily run at a speed of 82 1/2 m.p.h. It is a streamlined double railcar, and is to all intents and purposes an enlargement of the original “Flying Hamburger.” There are to-day six long-distance services on the German National Railways of outstanding interest. These are respectively the Berlin-Hanover, Hamm-Hanover, Berlin-Hamburg, and Berlin-Cologne runs, averaging 72 1/2 m.p.h.; the Berlin-Frankfort 67 1/2 m.p.h. service; and the Berlin-Halle 66 m.p.h. run. The last-named is maintained by a steam-driven train, all the others being diesel-electric services.

The German National Railways have now been in operation for a little over eleven years, the Company being established under the Dawes’ Plan on October 11, 1924. The business of the Company is controlled by an elaborate organisation centred on the Berlin headquarters. In addition, there is a regional administrative headquarters, covering the former Bavarian lines. Next comes thirty divisional offices and what is known as a “central railway office”; 640 district offices and about 100 workshops of various kinds; 11,000 passenger stations; 1,400 goods stations; 3,300 track inspectors’ offices; and about 700 locomotive and car shops.

The Berlin headquarters is directly responsible to the administrative council, the government and the railway commission. It formulates general traffic, finance and staff policy, apportions capital expenditure, and handles all commercial and technical questions of prime importance. At the head of the administration is a president, assisted by a permanent vice-president. Seven departments constitute the administration. These are respectively (1) traffic and tariffs, (2) operating and civil engineering; (3) mechanical engineering, with control of workshops; (4) finance and legal; (5) staff; (6) administrative; and (7) purchases and stores.

Innovations on the Home Railways.

Commencing 1st January last, the Home railways brought into operation on the passenger side two very interesting services. One was the instalment system for the payment of passenger fares; and the other a new arrangement, known as the “blue, arrow” system, providing for the registered transit of parcels by express passenger train. The first-named innovation provides for the sale at all stations of travel stamps to the value of one shilling each. With the first stamp issued goes a contribution card capable of holding ten stamps. When the card is full it may be exchanged for a ten shilling voucher, and a further contribution card secured. Alternatively, the ten shilling voucher may be purchased as an independent unit. The voucher bears interest at the rate of approximately 5 per cent, per annum for each completed month. At any time the vouchers or cards may be exchanged for travel tickets of all kinds, except seasons.

Under the “blue arrow” registered transit arrangement, parcels sent by passenger trains may be registered and brought within a specialised control, whereby every railway contact point en route receives an advance advice, by telephone or telegraph, of their passage, and a constant watch is maintained until the parcels reach their destination. Special arrow-shaped labels, coloured blue, with the words “Registered-Passenger Train Transit,” are affixed to each consignment, and for the special service a charge of half-a-crown per consignment is made. The registration fee covers the special transit of all traffic (including livestock).

On the Zugspitze Mountain Railway, Germany.

On the Zugspitze Mountain Railway, Germany.

page 40