THE QUARTERLY 



JOURNAL OF SCIENCE 



OCTOBEK, 1865. 



ORICINAL ARTICLES. 



ON CIECULATION AND COMMUNICATION IN KAILWAY 



TEAINS. 



By Captain Tyler, Eoyal Engineers, Railway Department, 

 Board of Trade. 



It is only within the last few years that science has rendered it 

 practicable, and the development of traffic profitable, to convey 

 passengers between certain places for two hours continuously at an 

 average speed of forty-five miles an hour. We have, however, arrived 

 at that stage of progress. Trains run daily between London and 

 Dover, by the South-Eastern Railway, a distance of 88 miles, in 



1 hour and 55 minutes ; from Chester to Holyhead, 84 miles, in 



2 hours and 7 minutes; from London to Rugby, 82 -j miles, in 

 1 hour and 50 minutes ; from London to Swindon, 77-J miles, in 

 an hour and a-half; and from London to Peterborough, 76 J miles, 

 in 1 hour and 37 minutes. We may also go any evening from 

 London to Manchester, 196| miles, in 5 hours ; or any day from 

 London to Edinburgh, 399£ miles, in 10 hours and 30 minutes ; or 

 from London to Inverness, 604-i- miles, in 18 hours and 5 minutes. 

 We undoubtedly perform these and other journeys in a most luxurious 

 manner as compared with the road travelling of former days, or of the 

 present day. First-class passengers sit on soft cushions, second-class 

 passengers sometimes on harder ones, and third-class passengers are 

 almost always provided with seats and sheltered from the weather. 

 But there are inconveniences still to be overcome, and many improve- 

 ments to be effected. Fixed periods of stoppage at suitable intervals, 

 or a few minutes extra at certain stopping stations would, with the 

 present arrangements, be a great boon to ladies and children, to the 

 weakly and the infirm. The refreshments to be obtained at most of 

 the stations are a disgrace to the country. Better means of sleeping 



VOL. II. 2 E 



