RESEARCH IN RAIL TRANSPORT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 65, 17 March 1936, Page 10

RESEARCH IN RAIL TRANSPORT

New London Laboratory

MANY INTERESTING TESTS

hotel.’ It also conducts several extensive manufacturing undertakings in connection with its transport business. In 1930, Sir Harold Hartley was appointed vice-president and director of scientific research. In 1932 the chemical, paint, metallurgical and textile laboratories were formed into a research department. The effect of the completion of the new laboratory is to concentrate in one building the various research sections. In addition to possessing a large staff of specialists to deal with the various problems which are continually arising, the department utilises to the fullest extent the research organisation of the British Department of .Scientific and Industrial Research. It is also a member of six research associations, and allocates certain problems to research laboratories at the universities. The metallurgical section is concerned with investigations relating to the selection of metals and their manipulation by casting, forging, heat treatment and welding. It also examines materials which have failed to give satisfactory performance in service. The engineering section deals with research on the design and performances of engineering details ofmachines and structures. It studies aerodynamical problems connected with the air resistance of trains, with wind pressures,

ventilation' systems and so on. The textile sections is responsible for the inspection and testing of the various textile materials purchased by the company, and for drawing up specifications controlling their quality. The new laboratory was opened by Lord Rutherford, in the presence of a gathering of distinguished scientific workers and industrialists. Sir Josiah Stamp in a speech recalled that wb.cn ho was president of'the British Institute of Transport he devoted his presidential address to the subject of scientific research in transport, and expressed his gratification that some of his dreams had now come true. The days of haphazard and rule-of-thumb tests were over; the days of controlled and directed experiment under arranged conditions had fully arrived. “At the same time,” he added, “I would like to stress the fact that we arc not trying in this new laboratory to supersede or to rival scientific effort in all directions.” Lord Rutherford, in declaring the new laboratory open, said the L.M.S. was described as a public utility company; but it was more like a State within a Stafc, as it had a gross revenue of nearly £70,000,000 its own sea, land and air forces all organised for the most efficient service to the community. On the map, the railway

appeared to be not merely the backbone, but rather the whole vertebrate system of Great Britain. He was convinced that there was scarcely a single unit, whether of machinery or lay-out or even of organisation, that cou*d not be improved for its purpose by the application of scientific research. But even when valuable results were obtained, there still remained the serious difficulty of introducing them into this great organisation, which had developed over long years a successful routine. To obtain the best results from a laboratory such as lhe one at Derby

it was essential to develop mutual respect and understanding between the scientific man and the practical man.