ELECTRIFYING RAILWAYS

Taranaki Daily News, 28 April 1931, Page 9

ELECTRIFYING RAILWAYS

BRITISH PROPOSAL APPROVED

COMMITTEE’S REPORT RECEIVED.

'BOTH FEASIBLE AND DESIRABLE.’

British Wireless. Recd. 5.5 pan. Rugby, April 24. The report of the committee, consisting of Lord Weir, Sir Ralph Wedgwood 0 and Sir William McLintock, which has been examining the economic and other aspects of the electrification of British railways is published. The conclusion is that a complete electrification scheme is both feasible and deCapital expenditure, which is estimated to approach £400,000,000 spread over a period of I's or 20 years, would yield a good return. The scheme is admittedly of unique magnitude but the committee points out that £500,000,000 has been spent in the last 10 years on roads. The Prime Minister, in opening new electricity show rooms at Ayles ury last night, said the development o electricity was going to be one ot tne most important events in the industrial and domestic history <of the The work would employ 60,000, stated an earlier message. le posed Electricity Board would provide the railways with power at pu unit and maybe .4d, lower than anj poimtrv in the world. It was claimed that ' electrification /would mean a much lower rate of de preciation of plant as electrical traction should have' a life of 30 years, whereas a steam locomotive’s was twenty.