1865.] Tyleb on Circulation and Communication on Hallways. 579 



would be sufficient for the passage of a controleur ; and they come to 

 the following conclusions : — 



"1. Le controle de route est partout impossible du cote de 

 l'entrevoie. 



" 2. Le controle de route n'est possible sur 1'accotement qu'avec 

 une distance de lm. 30 (4 ft. 3 in.) entre l'axe du rail exterieur et les 

 parois d'ouvrages et objets de toute nature places sur le flanc de la 

 voie. Cette distance de lm. 30 peut d'ailleurs n'etre consideree qu'a, 

 lm. 20 au-dessus du rail (hauteur de l'arete inferieure d'une portiere 

 ouverte) ; mais elle doit en revanche regner encore a 2m. 70 (hauteur 

 de l'arete superieure de la dite portiere) au dessus de ce meme rail." 



And they recommend that " Les compagnies devraient organiser 

 sur toutes les voitures composant les trains de voyageurs un systeme 

 de marchepieds et de mains courantes horizontals, qui permette, 

 soit aux agents memes du train, soit a des controleurs speciaux, de 

 parcourir toute la longeur du convoi du cote des accotements du 

 chemin. Les mains courantes pourront etre interrompues devant 

 les portieres ; mais elles deborderont, ainsi que les marchepieds, les 

 deux extremites de la voiture a 25 centimetres au moins de largeur." 



The general commission on French railways, which was appointed 

 on the 5th November, 1861, and reported in 1863, stated their own 

 conclusions as follows : — 



" 3. Que toutes les fois que la composition des trains ne s'y 

 opposera pas, la communication entre les gardes freins et le mecani- 

 cien devra etre rendue obligatoire ; qu'il n'y a pas lieu de faire de 

 meme, en ce qui touche la communication entre les voyageurs et les 

 agents du train." 



This question of circulation in trains has, indeed, formed a constant 

 subject of invention and discussion for many years. The Commissioners 

 of Bail ways issued a circular in October, 1851, pointing out how desir- 

 able it was that " the power of travelling along trains whilst in motion 

 should be given to the guards and servants of the Company ;" and 

 several of the English Companies having expressed their willingness 

 to adopt the Belgian arrangement, the consent of the Post Master 

 General was obtained to the addition of steps to the post-office 

 vehicles, with a view to its being generally carried out. In 1852 a 

 sub-committee was appointed by a minute of General Managers at the 

 Clearing House, to consider a proposal from the Board of Trade to 

 use the footboards of the carriages as a means of communication on 

 the outside of trains. This sub-committee drew up a list of queries, 

 and circulated them amongst all the railway companies in the kingdom. 

 They received replies from thirty-five companies, from which it 

 appeared, that there were twenty-three companies on whose lines 

 either bridges, tunnels, or other permanent structures rendered it 

 dangerous to pass along the side of a train in motion ; there were 

 sixteen companies whose station-platforms would have required alter- 

 ation if the footboards of the carriages had been lengthened ; and all 

 these companies were in the habit of running cattle-trucks or goods- 

 trucks to a greater or less extent with their passenger-trains. All 

 but two stated that no accident had occurred which might have been 



