§ 85. Sir R. Glynasked the Minister of Transport the number of broken rails on the Main line railways in 1946, compared with 1938; and what were the causes of the increased number of breakages in 1946.
§ Mr. BarnesOwing to a change in the basis of classification and reporting of broken rails on the systems of the main line companies and London Transport, the latest figures comparable with 1938 are those for 1944, namely, 120 and 225 respectively. The figures for 1945 and 1946, on an altered basis which includes 143W certain types of fractures not previously reported, were 345 and 519 respectively. The causes of the continuing deterioration are restricted maintenance and renewals since the beginning of the war, due to shortages of steel and other track components and of labour.