Practice after Grouping 107 



is not as good as many years ago, and there 

 would not be the slightest difficulty in 

 bringing the schedule to 7 hours 45 minutes 

 instead of the present 8J hours occupied 

 between London and Edinburgh. 



It should be mentioned here that the 

 corresponding trains leave Edinburgh at 

 10 a.m. and 10.5 a.m., for London. 



From a working point of view it is doubt- 

 ful whether the double manning of an 

 engine, and the running of it such a great 

 distance without a stop, is a good policy; 

 in the first place there is the double crew, 

 a serious item in these days when economy 

 is the first thought in the minds of railway 

 directors. 



It may, of course, be argued that in any 

 case four men would have to handle the 

 train if an intermediate stop were made 

 and the engine changed. Against this, how- 

 ever, it may be contended that as the 

 double crews are employed for more than 

 eight hours there is a certain wastage here, 

 whereas with shorter trips it would be 

 possible for the men to return to their 



