Page:The Reshaping of British Railways (Beeching Report).pdf/94

 Average weights and number of packages in each consignment on the test day were recorded as being:—

Consignment weight Package weight L. & " 178 lb. 43 lb.- 4.1 Packages per consignment Originating weight per loaded wagon forwarded 0.92 tons

An analysis of consignments by weight is given in the following table:—

Table No. 26

Weight group Percentage of total Average number of packages per consignment (Figures in brackets are cumulative) Under 1 qr. 13 1.2 1 and under 2 grs. 27 (40) 1-4 2 and under 3 qms. 14 (54) 2.0 3 and under 1 cwt. 8 (62) 2.8 1 and under 2 cwt. 17 (79) 3.8 2 and under 3 cwt. 7 (85) 5.9 3 and under 5 cwt. 5 and under 10 cwt. 10 and over 6 (92) 8.8 5 (97) 14.6 A 3 (100) 20.1 100

Based on the study and detailed costing, the annual receipts were estimated to be £36 m. and the direct costs £47 m., a loss of £11 m., taking no account of indirect expenses or interest charges.

There are 550 rail stations operating as railheads for sundries traffic now. Collection and delivery services are based on them. Four hundred other stations, mostly small ones in sparsely populated country, handle small amounts.

Distribution of traffic over the 950 stations is set out in the following table:—

Table No. 27

Stations Tonnage handled daily Number Percentage of total Tons Volume Percentage of total (Figures in brackets are cumulative) 1-25 698 73 4,581 17 26-50 121 13 (86) 4,232 16 (33 51-100 66 7 (93) 4,540 17 (50) 101-200 39 4 (97) 5,236 20 (70) 201-300 16 2 (99) 4,143 15 (85) 301 and above 10 1 (100) 4,090 15 (100) TOTAL 950 100 26:822 100 ° 94