Practice after Grouping 91 



stud, and now he takes the more important 

 chargeship of the Southern. Finally, Mr. 

 Collett who had just taken his position at 

 the head of the Great Western Works at 

 Swindon, remained for the work of the 

 greater Great Western. With all these well- 

 tried locomotive designers retaining their 

 positions, albeit with added responsibility, 

 we should not expect to find them intro- 

 ducing revolutionary changes in designs. 

 Already each had distinguished himself with 

 the creation of efficient locomotives; in the 

 settling down period it seemed desirable to 

 concentrate upon the augmentation of these 

 designs, and look carefully forward to prob- 

 able traffic developments. Especially was it 

 their task to complete the general overhaul 

 of machines, which was so important a 

 part of the post-war railway policy, and 

 again to weed out any which age or loads 

 had rendered unfit for the duty of the day. 

 In all these circumstances we may well 

 appreciate the fact that nothing really start- 

 ling has been done on any of the great 

 railways. Perhaps the London, Midland 



