ELECTRIC RAILWAYS

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3718, 9 November 1926, Page 7

ELECTRIC RAILWAYS

LONDON SUBURBAN LINES Following the completion of the Southern Railway’s recent suburban electrification scheme, which, in the mam comprised the old South-eastern and Chatham lines Iron Victoria, Charing Cross, and Cannon street the company has announced a lurthcr latgo extension of electrification in the health Com .don area, to bo taken in band at once. The lines comprise the whole of tiro old L B and S.E. suburban area with a small portion of South-eastern and the scheme includes the equipping of the 127 singletrack miles of existing “ overhead electiio system with the direct current thud rail, as used on the other electrified lines ot the Southern, together with the laying down ot the third rail over 105 single-track milesjot railway at present worked by steam a total of 232 track miles, exclusive ot sidings, the new work will cost £3,750,000. For a time the “ overhead " electric system will remain, and trains will be "oiked by this system concurrently with and o\ci the same track as trams worked on the third-rail system. Ultimately however, the “overhead” equipment will be ci mi anted, and all trains will be worked on the thirdrail system, thhs standardising, for all three sections of the Southern Railway, the suburban train equipment, track, etc. The proposed new all-electric will <rivo an annual train mileage ot 7,636,000, equivalent to 100 per cent, increase m the case of present steam mileage, and o0 pci cent, in the present electric mileage. -Tho work will, it is hoped, bo finished by the end of 1928. Additional electric rolling stock to the extent of 800 coaches will be needed for the scheme, and these will be obtained by conversion of existing Minim stock, as was done with the bnstern section electrification. The converted vehicles, when finished, arc indistinguishable from mm. Owing to the. Withdrawal of si earn vehicles for conversion, it will be necessary to continue in service for a limited period a number of vehicles which would otherwise hare been broken up. . It is hoped that every contract tor equipment and maledial connected with Ins mvelopment will be placed with Ihdi-h firms in which case employment will he found |m many months for a large number of Brills!) workmen