ELECTRIC TRAINS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11834, 16 January 1933, Page 2

ELECTRIC TRAINS

DEVELOPMENT AT HOME

LONDON, Jan. 5

A speed of more than. 75 miles an hour was reached during the in augur a Lon to-day .of the Southern Railway’s all.electric route to Brighton. The service will include 23 express trains' each dav.

The ceremony matrked the completion of a schme which cost ,£2,750,000, and 99 per cent, of the work has been carried out by British firms.. Development became possible only after the Central Electricity Board embarked on the grid scheme of supply for the whole country. The,opening coincides with the 50th anniversary of the 'fir'st electric railway in the world. Early lines employed .current at 250 volts, while the supply for the Brighton service is taken '.from’ the grid 'at' 132,060 .volts ,and yeduced at a series of sub-stations , " The electrification of the Brighton line has been carried out on the ; third rail, system, to which the Southern Railway recently converted, stages .previously having been, electrified overhead.

The London, and (North Eastern Railway is developing an alterntaive system which the current used for propulsion is generated on the train itself by Diesel engines. Railway engineers are watching the results of different' systems wRh great interest.