The Speed of Express Trains is England.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4513, 15 November 1884, Page 4

The Speed of Express Trains is England.

Comparing the express services of 1871 and 18S3, it appears that tho increase of express trains during that period has been 157, or 62.8, throughout the English and Scotch lines, tho numbers being 250 per day in 1871 and 407 in 18S3. The averago journey speed has increased from 37 3 5 to 41 3-5 miles per hour, the running averago from 40 4-10 to _t 1-3 miles, and tho total express mileage from 23,672 to 42,693, a daily increase of 19,021 miles, or SO per cent. . The London and North-western stands at the head of tho list as regards express mileage, with 10,405 daily miles, but it is not the Bame position as regards running avorage, all tho great companies, indoed, having increased in this respect by more than the average amount, with this one exception. The Great Northern stands first in the running average increase, being 42 miles per hour in IS7I and 46 J in 1883, boing an increase of 4'i miles per hour. Tho total oxpress mileago on- this system has risen from 3,520 to 0,780, or 92 por cent. Tho Groat Northern, however, shows tho greatest number of express journeys on each mile, though in the niattor of long runs it, of course, cannot compete with the London and North-western, for it is comparatively a short lino, and has no long runs extending liko those from Chester to Holyhead or Preston to Carlisle.

The Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire shows the largest increase of all tho lines in tho number of district expresses, having risen from 11 in 1871 to 49 in 1883— an increase of 38. As to its average journey speed also, that has mounted from 36 miles to 43—an increase of seven per hour; and in this matter it is surpassed by only one system-viz-.theGlasgowandSouth-western, which increased by 7 11-12 miles. The running average of the Manchester and Sheffield has of course increased from 38 4-7 miles to 44 3-5, or 6 per cent,, and its total express mileage from 594 to 2,318, or the enormous number of 1,724, or 290 per cent.

The Midland Company ranks third in the number of its expresses, of which there are 06, but eocond as regards express mileage, being 3,175 in 1871 and 8,500 in 1884 —an increase of 5.685 miles, or 147 per cent. Its average journey speed is now 41 3-5 miles—an increase of 4 1-10 per hour since 1871 ; and its running averago is 45 miles— an increase of 4 1-10. The Midland system shows a very largo augumontation in the number of its daily long runs, these having been 20 in 1871 with a mileage of 1,135, while now there are 84, with a mileage of 4,377. With respect to the total mileage, the Great Eastern .has made mora rapid progress than any other line, having jumped from tho bottom in 1871, when it was 161 miloa, to the fourth-place in 1883, with 3,040 miles—an increase per cent, of 1,788. This is owing largely to the extension of the system in Doncaster. The number of district expresses has risen from three to thirty-four, its average journey speed from 37 9-10 to 41, running average from 38 8-10 to 43.1. As representing the west of England, tho Great Western, though it still stands fifth in the order of total express mileage, has actually reduced its number of district expresses from twenty-eight to eighteen, and therefore, of course, its total express mileage, which now stands at 2,600 daily miles.' Its average journey speed has risen from 38 to 42 miles, and its running average from 414-5 t0461. For the southern lines tno changes are nothing like so great. The Chatham and Dover has increased its district expresses from 6 to 9, the Brighton from 12 to 13, while the Southeastern has reduced them from 15 to 12, and the South-western from 7 to 3. In speed the latter company shows best of all the lines south of London, having risen from 40 miles to44J, the Chatham and Dover following suit from 41 _ to 43J, the Southeastern troin 40J to 41j, and the Brighton from 41J to only 41 2-23. This very small increase is doubtless due to the crowded state of the line between _ondon and Croydon, which would render a very high speed inadmis-iblo.—From tho "Journal of the Statistical Society."