Page:The Reshaping of British Railways (Beeching Report).pdf/48

 These figures are based upon the assumption that British Railways would provide all the road vehicles and carry out all collection and delivery. This would not be their wish or intention, and it is expected that many customers will prefer to use their own vehicles for the purpose. It is expected, also, that some public road hauliers will wish to use Liner Train services for trunk hauls of traffic collected and delivered by themselves.

Subject to a satisfactory outcome from the studies now in hand, it is expected that proposals for construction of the first two Liner Trains will be put forward in a few weeks, and it will then be possible to have them in operation by the end of 1964. One of them would then be used to run two round trips per day between London and Liverpool, and the other would do one round trip per day linking Sheffield with London and Birmingham.

It is clear, however, that the real issue is much bigger than the question as to whether two prototype trains should be produced and put in service. If the Liner Train type of service is judged to be a likely success on the scale envisaged, and likely to contribute very materially to the future viability of the trunk line network of the railways, then it is clearly desirable to introduce a system of services as quickly as possible. Decision on speedy provision of a system as distinct from isolated services is also important from the point of view of attracting custom, because manufacturers may well be prepared to equip themselves to use a system which will give good national coverage, but be unwilling to do so in order to use only one route.

Therefore, the important decision which will have to be made as quickly as possible is whether an integrated system of Liner Train services, such as that shown by Map No. 11, should be set up. If this decision can be reached in a few months, then it should be possible to build up the pattern of services progressively from the end of 1964, at a rate which would bring the full network proposed into operation by 1970.

Freight Sundries

A country wide service is provided by the railways for freight consigned in quantities too small to be treated as a single wagon load, and most of it is carted by road at both ends of the transit. At one time, the railways were the only providers of this kind of service, but now it is shared with road hauliers who are estimated to carry about 55 per cent. to 60 per cent. of the total. As with other forms of freight, however, the railways are still heavily influenced by their former common carrier obligations and by their tradition of nation wide coverage, while the road operators select good traffics and good areas for coverage.

Traffic of this kind tends to decline because of the changing pattern of production and distribution, and the railways' carryings of sundries has declined over recent years. In 1960, the tonnage carried was 3·6 m. and in 1961-62 it was 3·4 m.

As is indicated by the global cost figures for this class of traffic, on page 8, it failed to cover its direct costs in 1961 by £13·5 m., receipts being £38·0 m. with direct costs of £51·5 m., and an assessed overall loss of £21·3 m. In 1961 a special study was made of the sundries handling problem. This included a test of all the traffic handled on one day, which, because of the diversity of this traffic and the large number of consignments covered, gave a