428 History of Inland Transport 



qualified persons on subjects likely to be of practical service 

 to members of the staff. It was before this society that the 

 paper on " The Government in Relation to the Railways of the 

 Country," referred to on page 352, was read by Mr F. Potter, 

 chief assistant to the general manager of the Great Western 

 Railway. 



Apart from the educational, literary or social organisations 

 directly associated with particular railway companies, there 

 are other bodies formed mainly by experts or workers in 

 particular departments of railway construction, maintenance 

 or operation who, whatever their position or attainments, 

 find they are not yet too old to learn, that in the railway world 

 there is always something new, and that advantages are to be 

 gained by themselves from an exchange of views, opinions and 

 experiences, apart from the benefits they may confer on juniors 

 in helping them to advance their knowledge on technical 

 questions. These associations are certainly to be classed 

 among those which promote the " higher education " of the 

 railwayman, though they may also serve various other pur- 

 poses, social, provident, etc. -.; 



Among organisations of this type the Permanent Way 

 Institution, established in 1884, and incorporated in 1908, 

 occupies a leading position. It seeks to promote among 

 inspectors of way and works a more thorough knowledge 

 of all technical details connected with the discharge of their 

 duties, and it publishes for the use of members, and persons 

 qualified to be members, " information which may be likely to 

 encourage and exert interchange of thought, especially with a 

 view to create a friendly and sympathetic feeling between 

 members and such other persons in their duties and labours, 

 and for mutual help of members in the discharge of the same." 

 Sections are formed in important centres throughout the 

 United Kingdom, and the reading and discussion at the meet- 

 ings of the sections of short practical papers by members, 

 dealing mainly with matters appertaining to their employment, 

 is regarded by the Institution as an important phase of its 

 system of technical education. The sections are kept well 

 supplied with literature, reports, and communications affording 

 good material for discussion at their meetings, " and much 

 benefit," says a prospectus issued by the Institution, " has 

 been derived for the members from this interchange of ideas 



