The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-10-17 00:00:00

THE ABOLITION OF SECOND-CLASS
CARRIAGES.
From the Railway Sews).

The resolution to abolish second-class fares has been
taken by the Midland Company without any previous
concert with the managers or directors of other rail.
way companies, and the decision was only officially
communicated to them on Wednesday. As may be
supposed, the proposition has somewhat startled the
other companies by its boldness. As in the case of run
ning third-class carriages by all trains on the Midland,
other companies were compelled to adopt the same
policy, so this reduction of fares must in like manner be
made by all other companies competing with the Mid-
land. At present the fares for first-classic passengers vary
to a fractional extent upon different railways. The
general maximum rate of fare allowed by Act of
Parliament is 3d. per mile ; but there is scarcely a
railway company in the country the fare of which is at
present up to the full standard sanctioned by Parlia-
ment. Assuming that the Midland Company carry
out the policy which they have inaugurated, and
that other northern companies brought int a com-
petition will be induced or compelled to follow the
example set, it would be useful to inquire what would
be the probable immediate effect of the reduction
upon the receipts of the various lines. This result,
it will be seen, cannot be obtained with any degree
of certainty, but a glance at the existing
statistics of passenger traffic may give some idea as
to the operation of the movement. The existing first-
class fares acreage about 2id. per mile, while the
second-class fares are, on the average, slightly above
the new first-class rate of 10. per mile. The second-
class may therefore be dismissed from calculation as
well AM the third-claes, both rates being practically
unaltered, and the whole effect of the change upon the
face of it being a reduction of about one-third in the
existing receipts from first-class passengers. The
receipts from the various classes on the different
northern lines for the past half-year were as follows :
Name of Rail. Fint Sr::ond Third Ses.os_

way. I law. 1111,49 11113. Tickets. Total.
Great Northern.. 15108.755.. 197.048 .. £243,201 £26.058 .. £477.986
Great Western .. 511,135 263,380 .. 571,213 .. 22,3111 .. 1,168,188
(treat Eastern .. 31,677 ~ 83,633 3001,855.. 35.753.. 491,93 e
Midland .. 114,094 .. 96.844 .. 448,688 .. 32,776 .. 672,311
North Weatern 1863.627 •• 247.219 .. 773,201 .. 45.522 1.491.972
Sharld ....37.045.. 19,307 .. 4/.452 .. 11.1153.. 198,164
North Eastern .. e 4.931 711.499 4M,328 21,076 646,905
The probable result would thus appear to be a reduc•
tion in the half-yearly receipts of £36,000 on the Great
Northern, £74,000 on the Great Western, £30,000 on
the Great Eastern, £35,000 on the Midland, £llB,OOO
on the London and North-Western, £7,000 on the
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, and £32,000
on the North Eastern. It must be remembered,
however, that the above figures are calculated on the
receipts of the June half-year, and would be propor-
tionately increased on the heavier takes of the current
half-year.

The Timee has published the following letter on the aboli-
tion of second-elan carriages:—

Sir,— The important decision arrived at by the Mid-
land Railway Company respecting their carriages and
fares is one which will, I believe, be received by various
sections of the public with widely different feelings.
On the one hand, the large reduction will be entirely
satisfactory to those who, while objecting to travel in
second or third-class carriages. are unable to afford the
extravagant rate at present charged for first-class ac-
commodation ; but, on the other hand, the enormous
increase in the number of first-class passengers which
may certainly be anticipated will he anything but
pleasing to those who, able and willing to pay a high
price for comparative seclusion and repose, will in
future find the first-class carriages constantly occupied
by their full quota of passengers.
The whole question is just now a very vexed one, and
while Mr. Gladstone, on the ons hand, advises 'stick-
ing to the democracy," there are not wanting sinister
rumours 88 to the intentions of certain C impanies who
have talked of recouping themselves for what they con-
sider unjust taxation by levying an additional tax of
15 per cent, on all third-class fares. Pending the set-
tlement of the question the Directors are flooded with
suggestions of all kinds from every quarter ; but there
is one view of the matter which (unmentioned 118 yet,
I think) has struck me as affording a possibly satisfac-
tory solution of the difficulty, and which has at least
the merit of seeking to regard the pecuniary interests
of the shareholders on the one hand and the pockets
and convenience of the public on the other.
. . _ _

My idea is that, instead of abolishing second-class
carriages, an effort should be made thoroughly to
utilize them, and I think this might be done by such a
rearrangement as would bring the fares into far closer
approximation with those of the third-class than at
present. As a rule, a second-class fare ranges about
40 per cent, above that of the third-class, while the
corresponding advantage by no means increases in
equal ratio; whereas, if the rate were fixed at an
advance of 12S or 15 per cent., a very large number of
people would gladly avail themselves of carriages which,
besides having a slight advantage in point of comfort,
would certainly be free from many occasional incon-
veniences, as for instance, inroads of labourers and
others whose presence in their working dress is for ob-
vious reasons, a thing scarcely "to be desired."
If, in conjunction with such a movement as this,
some reduction could be made in first-class fares, no
much the better; but my main object at present is to
urge thatfrom the third class passengers there cculd
be easily created a very o-nsiderable section who would
gladly occupy the present empty and neglected seats
of the second-class carriages with advantage to them-
selves, and with a very appreciable increase of percent-
age to the Company.-1 am, Sir, your obedient ser-
vant, MARTIN S. SKEFFINGToN.
19, Sheffield-terrace, Campden-hill, W., Oct. 10.