Operating the Caledonian Railway Volume Two

This volume looks at how the Caledonian planned its operations and how it handled matters when things did not go according to plan. The constraints and possibilities of track layouts are considered, followed by an explanation of the art of compiling timetables and the workings of the rolling stock in order to make the most of that infrastructure. Did a L&NWR Manchester guard regularly work the Balerno Branch? The methods of dealing with particular traffics and controlling assets, from wagons to sacks, are described. Carlisle Control office is featured and the significance of traffic control in the Quintinshill accident is explored. The operating practices for some important flows of traffic are examined, with a chapter on electrification, for which the Caledonian sought powers. The reader will feel an affinity with the traffic men and understand the issues with which they grappled, while students of other railways will wonder how their companies addressed similar questions.