BR building up wagon loads
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• British Railways are to pursue their policy of encouraging wagon load traffic. Sir Henry Johnson, the Board's chairman, gave notice of this intention last week to the London and Home Counties divisions of the Freight Transport Association at its annual luncheon.
To those who suggest that British Railways should confine their goods carrying activities to train loads, Sir Henry said "this is rubbish."
The rolling stock of British Railways is being modernized. Sir Henry said that they were using a Victorian fleet for their highspeed services, but that they were now building a fleet of fast-moving wagons. "What the result will be, I do not know," he added.
Sir Henry stressed that there was a stricter discipline in turn-round required and admitted that some of the delays were the fault of the railway service. He emphasized that there was considerable scope for improvement.
He told his audience that there had been considerable reduction in loss, and pilferage in British Railways parcels traffic which he described as "big business". He agreed that a commercial approach was needed in this field. "We are not being feather-bedded," said Sir Henry, "and we have a tough time ahead to make ends meet, but we intend to be competitive."