§ 29. Viscount CURZONasked the Secretary of State for War whether any of the locomotives built at Woolwich have yet been disposed of; and, if so, what was the amount realised by the sale and what percentage of the cost of construction does the figure given represent?
Mr. GRAHAMTwenty of the Woolwich locomotives have recently been sold. As 30 of these locomotives are still to be sold, I do not think it would be in the public interest to disclose the sale price. The cost of construction of these locomotives was £15,600 each.
§ Viscount CURZONDoes the price show a profit or a loss?
§ Mr. MILLSDoes the £15,600 include the whole overhead expenditure involved in testing and maintenance?
§ Sir KINGSLEY WOODAre these not excellent locomotives worthy of Woolwich?
§ 33. Mr. MILLSasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the locomotives or parts of locomotives manufactured in the Royal Arsenal in 1919 have been included among the scrap metal sold to scrap-iron merchants; whether or no these locomotives have undergone exhaustive trials on main lines in Britain; if so, can he state the result; and whether they are being sold as locomotives?
Mr. GRAHAMThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Of these locomotives, which are all of the same pattern, two were subjected to exhaustive trial on main lines, with the result they were reported to be excellent machines, comparing very favourably with locomotives constructed by firms who specialise in their manufacture. Twenty have recently been sold as locomotives to a British railway company.