Page:The Working and Management of an English Railway.djvu/198

 and a thick warm overcoat, which is supplied by the Company for his use. As soon as he has been on duty three hours he is supplied with refreshments at the Company's expense, and again six hours later if the fog continues so long; and, after twelve hours, if the fog still continues, he goes off duty, and his place is taken by a relief man. The refreshments supplied consist usually of bread and meat, and tea or coffee.

During the week ending the 14th January, 1888, as may perhaps be remembered, occurred one of the most severe visitations of fog within living memory. It was general throughout the country, and, in fact, was not confined to England, but extended over some portions of the Continent. In most parts of the country it commenced either on Sunday night or Monday morning, and, with brief intervals, and in some places with, practically, no interval whatever, it continued until Friday night. It may readily be imagined that to carry on the working of the railway under such circumstances, and for such a lengthened period, became a matter of great difficulty, and imposed a very severe strain upon all the men engaged.

Delays, more or less, were naturally inevitable, but it is gratifying to state that, with the exception of one or two trifling mishaps with goods trains, involving no serious results, the whole of the traffic was carried on during this trying week without any actual interruption, and without accident or injury to a single passenger. This result was entirely due to the efficient carrying out of the system of fog-signa1ling above described, and probably there could not well be a more searching test of the efficiency of the system employed. Enquiries have shown that during the week in question on the