HC Deb 02 June 1931 vol 253 cc39-40W
Rear-Admiral BEAMISH

asked the Minister of Transport if his Department recognise a standard system of electrification of railways in this country; and, if so, will he state its salient particulars and how the systems in use on the Continent and in the United States of America differ therefrom?

Mr. HERBERT MORRISON

There are two alternate recognised standard systems of railway electrification in this country of which the hon. and gallant Member will find full particulars in the report of the Railway Electrification Committee (1927). The two standard systems recommended by the committee are:

  1. (a) The direct current, overhead, with a maximum pressure of 1,500 volts; and
  2. (b) The direct current, third nail, with a maximum pressure of 750 volts.

A considerable proportion of the route mileage of electrically worked railways on the Continent and in America is electrified in accordance with systems which do not differ materially from those proposed for this country, but various other systems are also in use abroad and to some extent in this country.