[Footnote 1: Abstract from a paper read before the Boston Society
of Engineers, in April, 1890.]
By JAMES A. TILDEN.
The methods of handling the travel and traffic in the city of London
form a very interesting subject for the study of the engineer. The
problem of rapid transit and transportation for a city of five
millions of inhabitants is naturally very complicated, and a very
difficult one to solve satisfactorily.
The subject may be discussed under two divisions: first, how the
suburban travel is accommodated, that is, the great mass of people who
come into the business section of the city every morning and leave at
night; second, how the strictly local traffic from one point to
another is provided for. Under the first division it will be noted in
advance that London is well provided with suburban railroad
accommodation upon through lines radiating in every direction from the
center of the city, but the terminal stations of these roads, as a
rule, do not penetrate far enough into the heart of the city to
provide for the suburban travel without some additional methods of
conveyance.
The underground railroad system is intended to relieve the traffic
upon the main thoroughfares, affording a rapid method of
transportation between the residential and business portions, and in
addition to form a communicating link between the terminals of the
roads referred to. These terminal stations are arranged in the form of
an irregular ellipse and are eleven in number.
One of the most noticeable features of the underground system in
London is that it connects these stations by means of a continuous
circuit, or "circle," as it is there called. The line connecting the
terminal stations is called the "inner circle." There is also an
extension at one end of this elliptical shaped circle which also makes
a complete circuit, and which is called the "middle circle," and a
very much larger circle reaching the northern portions of the city,
which is called the "outer circle." The eastern ends of these three
circles run for a considerable distance on the same track. In addition
to this the road branches off in a number of directions, reaching
those parts of the city which were not before accommodated by the
surface roads, or more properly the elevated or depressed roads, as
there are no grade crossings.
With regard to the accommodation afforded by this system: it is a
convenience for the residents of the western and southern parts of
London, especially where they arrive in the city at any of the
terminal stations on the line of the "circle," as they can change to
the underground. They can reach the eastern end of the "circle," at
which place is located the bank and the financial section of London,
in a comparatively short time. For example, passengers arriving at
Charing Cross, Victoria or Paddington stations, can change to the
underground, and in ten, fifteen and thirty minutes respectively,
reach the Mansion House or Cannon street stations, which are the
nearest to the Bank of England. In a similar manner those arriving at
Euston, St. Pancras or King's Cross on the northern side of the
"circle," can reach Broad Street station in ten or fifteen minutes,
which station is nearest the bank on that side of the "circle."
In a number of cases the underground station is in the same building
or directly connected by passages with the terminal stations of the
roads leading into the city. Examples of this kind would be such
stations as Cannon Street, Victoria or Paddington. They are not,
however, sufficiently convenient to allow the transference of baggage
so as to accommodate through passengers desiring to make connection
from one station to another across the city. Hand baggage only is
carried, about the same as it is on the elevated road in New York. The
method of cross town transfer, passengers and baggage, is invariably
done by small omnibuses, which all the railroads maintain on hand for
that special purpose. A very large proportion of the travel, however,
if not the largest, is obtained by direct communication by means of
the "circle" on branch lines with the various residential portions of
north, west and south London.
Approximately on the underground railroad the fare is one cent per
mile for third class, one cent and a half for second class, and two
cents for first class, but no fare is less than a penny, or two cents.
Omnibus fares in some instances are as low as a penny for two miles.
This is not by any means the rule, and is only to be found on
competing lines. The average fare would be a penny a mile or more.
The fares on the main lines which accommodate the suburban traffic are
somewhat higher than on the underground, perhaps 50 per cent. more. In
every case, on omnibus, tram cars or railroads, the rates are charged
according to distance. The system such as in use on our electric,
cable and horse cars and on the elevated road in New York, of charging
a fixed fare, is not in use anywhere.
The ticket offices of the underground roads are generally on a level
with the street. In some instances both the uptown and downtown trains
are approached from one entrance, but generally there is an entrance
at either side of the railroad, similar to the elevated railroad
system. In purchasing a ticket, the destination, number of the class,
and whether it is a single or return ticket have to be given. The
passenger then descends by generally well lighted stairways to the
station below, and his ticket is punched by the man at the gate. He
then has to be careful about two things; first, to place himself on
that part of the platform where the particular class which he wishes
to take stops, and secondly, to get on to the right train. In the
formation of the train the first class coaches are placed in the
center, the second and third class respectively at the front and rear
end. There are signs which indicate where passengers are to wait,
according to the class. There is a sign at the front end of the
engine, which to those initiated sufficiently indicates the
destination of the train. The trains are also called out, and at some
stations there is an obscure indicator which also gives the desired
information. The stations are from imperfectly to well lighted,
generally from daylight which sifts down from the smoky London
atmosphere through the openings above. The length of the train
averages about eight carriages of four compartments, each compartment
holding ten persons, making a carrying capacity of 320 passengers. The
equipment of the cars is very inferior. The first class compartments
are upholstered and cushioned in blue cloth, the second class in a
cheaper quality, while most of the third class compartments have
absolutely nothing in the way of a cushion or covering either on the
seat or back, and are little better than cattle pens. The width of the
compartment is so narrow that the feet can easily be placed on the
opposite seat, that is, a very little greater distance than would be
afforded by turning two of our seats face to face. The length of the
compartment, which is the width of the car, is about a foot and a half
less than the width of our passenger cars, about equal to our freight
cars. Each compartment is so imperfectly lighted by a single lamp put
into position through the top of the car that it is almost impossible
to read.
The length of time which a train remains at a station is from thirty
to forty seconds, or from three to four times the length of time
employed at the New York elevated railroad stations. The reason for
this is that a large proportion of the doors are opened by passengers
getting in or out, and all these have to be shut by the station porter
or guard of the train before the train can start. If the train is
crowded one has to run up and down to find a compartment with a vacant
seat, and also hunt for his class, and as each class is divided into
smoking and non-smoking compartments, making practically six classes,
it will be observed that all this takes time, especially when you add
the lost time at the ticket office and gate.
The ventilation of the tunnels and even the stations is oftentimes
simply abominable, and although the roads are heavily patronized there
is a great amount of grumbling and disfavor on this account. The
platforms of the stations are flush with those of the cars, so that
the delay of getting in or out is very small, but the doors are so low
that a person above the average height has to stoop to get in, and
cannot much more than stand upright with a tall hat on when he is once
in the car. The monitor roof is unknown.
The trains move with fair speed and the stations are plainly and
liberally marked, so that the passenger has little difficulty in
knowing when to get out. There are two signs in general use on English
railroads which are very simple and right to the point, namely, "Way
Out" and "Way In," so that when a passenger arrives at a station he
has no question how to get out of it. The ticket is given up as the
passenger leaves the station. There is nothing to prevent a passenger
with a third class ticket getting into a first class compartment
excepting the ominous warning of 40 shillings fine if he does so, and
the liability of having his sweet dreams interrupted by an occasional
inspector who asks to see the denomination of his ticket. All
compartments intended for the use of smokers are plainly marked and
are to be found in each class. Almost the entire part of the railroads
within the thickly settled portions of the city run in closed tunnels.
Outside of this they frequently run in open cuttings, and still
further out they run on to elevated tracks.
With regard to the equipment of the suburban or surface lines not
belonging to the underground system the description is about the same.
The cars are generally four compartments long and sometimes not
exceeding three. They are coupled together with a pair of links and
fastened to the draw bar on one car and the other thrown over a hook
opposite and brought into tension by a right and left hand screw
between the links. This is obviously very inconvenient for shunting
purposes, especially as the cars are not provided with hand brakes and
no chance to get at them if there were any. Consequently it appears
that when a train is made up it stays so for an indefinite period. A
load of passengers is brought into the station and the train remains
in position until it is ready to go out. As the trains run very
frequently this appears to be a very economical arrangement, as no
shunting tracks are needed for storage. The engine which brings the
train in of course cannot get out until the train goes out with the
next load. Turn tables for the locomotives are but very little used,
as they run as double enders for suburban purposes.
In conclusion it will be safe to say that the problem of rapid transit
for a city as large as London is far from solved by the methods
described. Although there are a great many miles of underground lines
and main lines, as they have been called throughout the paper, and
although grade crossings have been entirely abolished, allowing the
trains to run at the greatest speed suitable to their frequency, still
there are a great many sections which have to depend entirely upon the
omnibus or tram car. The enormous expense entailed by the construction
of the elevated structures can hardly be imagined. We have but one
similar structure in this country, which is that running from the
Schuylkill River to Broad Street station, in Philadelphia. The
underground system is even more expensive, especially in view of the
tremendous outlay for damages. This goes to show that money has not
been spared to obtain rapid transit.
After all, the means to be depended upon when one desires to make a
rapid trip from one part of the city to another is the really
admirable, cheap, always ready, convenient and comfortable London
hansom; while the way to see London is from the top of an omnibus, the
most enjoyable, if not the most expeditious, means of conveyance.
* * * * *
[Continued from SUPPLEMENT, NO. 809, page 12930.]