THE RAILWAYS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 124, 27 May 1913, Page 7

THE RAILWAYS

NEW GENERAL MANAGER BEST "YOUNG" RAILWAYMAN IN ENGLAND. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, 18th April. At King's Cross— the Metropolitan terminus of the Great Northern ■ RailI saw to-day a former colleague >>f Mr. E. H. Hiley, who was exceedingly gratified to hear of the decision that New Zealand had made. This gentleman holds an important position Mi the railway world and is well qualified to speak of Mr Hiley's credentials. Without beating about the subject he at once remarked : "I think New Zealand is fortunate in having secured him. He is far and away the best 'young' railwayman on this side, and hia strong point is organisation." Mr. Hiley is a good disciplinarian, tactful, and well able to win a man's confidence. Any man who knows hia work and does it has a comfortable (rime with him, but Mr. Hitey expects his staff to give of its best. The new manager, too, is a worker. He asks of ho subordinate that which he la noto-eady to do himself. In every respect he is a thoroughly good railwayman. \ Mr. Hiley came from the North Eastern Railway to King's Cross as Chief Passenger Agent of the Great Northern Railway at a tima when this railway .was being worked on the American system. Since then the Great Northern has gone back to the English system, but it is noteworthy to point out that the North Eastern Line afcill keeps to the American pi ai> f n the working of its system. He threw himself wholeheartedly into publicity work and popularised the Great Northern Railway in many directions. The advertising and ! commercial sides were attacked with I keen energy, and new branches of revenue were opened. For instance, while in the position of Chief Passenger Agent he inaugurated the cheap popular longexcursions which have been copied by many other lines. He initiated the cheap run from London to Skegness, a day's outing for about three shillings return. Another innovation was the Sunday half-day excursion. Before the advent of Mr. Hiley, nothing of the kind had been known. By those excursions, business people could visit their friends in various parts of England served by the Great Northern Railway, Cheap tickets, too. were issued to golfers. Continental travellers were assiduously cultivated by him, The main objective of the Great Northern Railway ie, of course, King's Cross, but a working scheme was. established with the South Eaßtern and Chatham, and prospective tourists from the North of England were encouraged to perform part of their journey over Great Northern metals. Large parties were also conducted under the auspices of the Great Northern lin© to various parts of the Continent. In 1906 the Yorftahire choir visited Germany, and other big parties were the Leeds Choral Society, which went to Paris, and the Iron and Steel Institute delegates to Vienna. That Continental travel to-day has become a feature of English holiday life is due in large measure to the inception and inauguration of Mr. Hiley. The advertising department of ( the Great Northern Railway was considerably brightened up directly Mr. Hiley arrived, and for the first time the pic-ture-poster found a lasting and honoured position in the means of popularising the different places to which the G.N.R. run. Mr. Hiley also organised a can vassiug department to look after the "coaching" traffic of the line, with results extremely successful. Mr. Hiley finds recreation in golf. He 13 a married man. His wedding took place in 1909 to Miss. Leigh Lord, an Australian lady.