The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 13, Issue 5 (August 1, 1938)
Our London Letter — An Interesting Passenger Unit
Our London Letter
An Interesting Passenger Unit.
Interior, second-class carriage in service on the Austrian Railways.
Efficient and economical passenger working over secondary routes often presents something of a problem. On the London, Midland & Scottish Railway, experiments are at present being undertaken, on the 77-mile stretch of track between Oxford and Cambridge, with a new streamlined three-car diesel-driven light passenger unit, which may revolutionise branch-line operation.
The new diesel train is painted outside in aluminium and red. It is about 185 feet long overall, and weighs in full working order 73 tons. Seating accommodation is provided, in three saloon-type vestibule cars, for 24 first-class and 138 third-class passengers. A conventional main-line unit affording similar accommodation would weigh (with locomotive) 173 tons, so that, in weight alone, the diesel unit offers a substantial margin of economy. Arranged on the articulated principle, the three cars of the unit are constructed of high tensile structural steel. Drive is by six Leyland diesel-hydraulic traction units, each six-cylinder oil engine developing 125 h.p. at 2,200 r.p.m., giving a train speed of 75 m.p.h. All six engines can be simultaneously controlled from either end of the train by electro-pneumatic equipment, there being a driver's cabin and luggage compartment at either end. Each of the three cars is of the centre-vestibule type, and Empire timbers have been used for interior decoration. Altogether, we have here a most interesting light unit, which would seem to hold out great possibilities.
Railcars Popular in France.
Railcar operation has made tremendous progress in France, and at the present time there are approximately 700 railcars in daily service, covering more than 90,000 miles daily. Actually, in point of view of numbers, France heads the list of continental railcar users, being followed by Germany, Czechoslovakia, Italy and Roumania. The Paris authorities favour railcar operation, not only for branch-lines, but also for many main-lines, such as Paris-Lille, Paris-Lyons, and Paris-Le Havre. On some of these latter routes, speeds of as high as 87 m.p.h. are maintained, specially fast units being employed. In the main, however, the French railways have not found it necessary to have a large number of different types of railcar to meet the varying requirements of the service. To be efficient it is considered that a railcar must be suitable for any service, either fast or slow, with or without a trailer, and so designed as to be capable of being coupled up to one or more cars to form a longer unit at peak periods. A standard railcar has been developed, capable of speeds up to 75 m.p.h., and accommodating sixty seated and sixty standing passengers, or sixty seated passengers and a considerable quantity of mails or baggage.
Centenary of Travelling Post Office.
Famous British Train for World's Fair.
From time to time, the Home railways have sent on exhibition overseas specimens of their locomotives and carriages. Next year the L. M. & S. Company is to send out to the World's Fair in New York a complete “Coronation Scot” train, while afterwards this crack express will make a tour of the United States and Canada. Tremendous interest was aroused in America five years ago by the visit of the same company's “Royal Scot” train, and during next year's tour of the “Coronation Scot” thousands of Americans will be able to view at close quarters typical British railway equipment. The “Coronation Scot” service was commenced in July, 1937, linking Euston Station, London, with Glasgow. It covers the 401½ miles between the two cities in exactly 6½ hours. Special streamlined high-speed steam locomotives are employed, and normally the train consists of nine luxury carriages. Nearly 74 ft. long overall, the “Coronation” class locomotives weigh 164½ tons. Driving wheels are of 6 ft. 9 in. diameter. Steam pressure is 250 lbs. per sq. in., and the four cylinders each have a diameter of 16½ in. The six-wheeled tender is fitted with a steam-operated coal-pusher, while the cab equipment includes double sliding windows, tip-up seats, and draught-preventing doors and look-out screen. The nine-car train seats 232 passengers, and two kitchen-cars are included.
Eliminating Coal Wastage.
On long express runs immense quantities of locomotive coal are consumed, and great efforts are now being made by the Home lines to cut out fuel wastage. On the London & North Eastern system, a special leaflet has just been distributed among the foot-plate staff emphasising the importance of avoiding coal wastage. Coal, it is pointed out, is burnt in the fireboxes of the locomotives at the average rate of 50½ lbs. for every mile travelled with a train, this quantity of fuel costing 4¾d. On the North Eastern area of the L. & N.E.R. alone, the distance travelled by locomotives in one week is nearly 900,000 miles, and the cost of the coal burnt in one week nearly £18,000, or approximately £1,000,000 per annum. If one lb. of coal could be saved for every mile run, the saving to the company would be £18,387 in one year. There are, it is stated, many ways of saving coal better known to enginemen than to anyone else, and valuable economies can be effected if each engineman will do his best to help by reducing the amount of coal burnt.
Education for Railwaymen.
Many interesting educational plans are operated by the Home railways for the benefit of their staffs. A new departure is a London training school for booking-clerks established by the Southern Railway. The training of probationers is in the hands of two experienced instructors. On entering the school, the juniors are first taught the different types of tickets, their availability, etc. Later, the boys staff a model booking-office, one boy under the instruction of a tutor acting as booking-clerk, and the others acting as passengers under the control of the second instructor. The student acting as booking-clerk remains on duty for about twenty minutes, while the others continually pass the ticket window purchasing transportation. After his spell in the booking-office, the boy has to make up his books, and strike an accurate balance. Special tuition is also given in account keeping and in handling public enquiries, while later there is instruction in general station accounts and the elementary principles of goods station accounts.
Amalgamation of German and Austrian Railways.
The Norwegian State Railways.
Heavy tourist business is the order of the day on the Norwegian State Railways, which have a length of approximately 3,000 miles, and radiate in all directions from the capital, Oslo. Some of the most picturesque country in Europe is found in Norway, and because of the difficult nature of the territory passed through, railway construction has proved most hazardous and costly. Three of the most alluring scenic routes are those covered respectively by the Rauma, the Dovre, and the Bergen lines. The Rauma Railway serves north-west Norway, and follows the course of the Rauma River, a great salmon stream. The Dovre line runs north and south through central Norway, and the Bergen Railway connects Oslo with Bergen, on the west coast. Between England and Norway, the London & North Eastern Railway and its allied services are, this season, handling record traffics, and a new express—“The Scandinavian”—has been put into service, connecting Liverpool Street Station, London, with Harwich, point of embarkation for the Norwegian wonderland.