Mr. G. Wilsonasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he has now reached a definite conclusion on the system of railway electrification which the British Transport Commission has submitted to him.
§ Mr. WatkinsonYes. I have now completed consultation with my colleagues and have been glad to convey to the Commission my approval of their proposal to adopt the 50-cycle alternating current system, with overhead supply, as a general standard for the future electrification of British Railways, except where electrification is being extended in certain parts of the Southern Region, where circumstances require that the low voltage D.C. third rail system should be retained.