The _Journal of the Statistical Society_ for September contains an
elaborate paper by Mr. E. Foxwell on "English Express Trains; their
Average Speed, etc. with Notes on Gradients, Long Runs, etc." The
author takes great pains to explain his definition of the term
"express trains," which he finally classifies thus: (a) The general
rule; those which run under ordinary conditions, and attain a
journey-speed of 40 and upward. These are about 85 per cent. of the
whole. (b) Equally good trains, which, running against exceptional
difficulties, only attain, perhaps, a journey speed as low as 36 or
37. These are about 5 per cent. of the whole. (c) Trains which should
come under (a), but which, through unusually long stoppages or similar
causes, only reach a journey speed of 39. These are about 10 per
cent.[1] of the whole.
[Footnote 1: 10 per cent. of the number, but not of the mileage,
of the whole; for most of this class run short journeys.]
He next explains that by "running average" is meant: The average speed
per hour while actually in motion from platform to platform, i.e., the
average speed obtained by deducting stoppages. Thus the 9-hour (up)
Great Northern "Scotchman" stops 49 minutes on its journey from
Edinburgh to King's Cross, and occupies 8 hours 11 minutes in actual
motion; its "running average" is therefore 48 miles an hour, or,
briefly, "r.a.=48." The statement for this train will thus appear:
Distance in miles between Edinburgh and King's Cross, 392½; time, 9 h.
0 m.; journey-speed, 43.6; minutes stopped, 49; running average, 48.
Mr. Foxwell then proceeds to describe in detail the performances of
the express trains of the leading English and Scottish railways--in
Ireland there are no trains which come under his definition of
"express"--giving the times of journey, the journey-speeds, minutes
stopped on way, and running averages, with the gradients and other
circumstances bearing on these performances. He sums up the results
for the United Kingdom, omitting fractions, as follows:
=========================================================================
Extent of| | | Average | | |
System | | Distinct | Journey- | Running | Express |
in Miles.| | Expresses.| speed. | Average.| Mileage.|
---------+-------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------+
1773 | North-Western | {54} 82 | 40 | 43 | 10,400 |
| | {28} | | | |
1260 | Midland | 66 | 41 | 45 | 8,860 |
928 | Great Northern | {48} 67 | 43 | 46 | 6,780 |
| | {19} | | | |
907 | Great Eastern | 34 | 41 | 43 | 3,040 |
2267 | Great Western | 18 | 42 | 46 | 2,600 |
1519 | North-Eastern | 19 | 40 | 43 | 2,110 |
290 | Manch., Sheffield,| 49 | 43 | 44 | 2,318 |
| and Lincoln | | | | |
767 | Caledonian | 16 | 40 | 42 | 1,155 |
435 | Brighton | 13 | 41 | 41 | 1,155 |
382 | South-Eastern | 12 | 41 | 41 | 940 |
329 | Glasgow and | 8 | 41 | 43 | 920 |
| South-Western | | | | |
796 | London and | 3 | 41 | 44 | 890 |
| South-Western | | | | |
984 | North British | 11 | 39 | 41 | 830 |
153 | Chatham and Dover | 9 | 42 | 43 | 690 |
+-----------+----------+---------+---------+
| 407 | 41 | 44 | 42,683 |
=========================================================================
A total of 407 express trains, whose average journey-speed is 41.6,
and which run 42,680 miles at an average "running average" of 44.3
miles per hour.
If we arrange the companies according to their speed instead of their
mileage, the order is:
Average
r.a. Miles
Great Northern. 46 6,780
Great Western. 46 [2]2,600
Midland. 45 8,860
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln 44 2,318
London and South-Western. 44 890
North-Western. 43 10,400
Glasgow and South-Western. 43 920
Great Eastern. 43 3,040
North-Eastern. 43 2,110
Chatham and Dover. 43 690
Caledonian. 42 1,155
South-Eastern. 41 940
Brighton. 41 1,155
North British. 31 825
[Footnote 2: Not reckoning mileage west of Exeter.]