Mr. G. Wilsonasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress has been made towards the installation of automatic train control on British Railways.
§ Mr. WatkinsonThe British Railways magnetic non-contact system of automatic train control for use with the vacuum brake has been under development and trial on a specially equipped length of the East Coast main line, and the reliability of the equipment under test is now satisfactory. The design of the many component parts has also reached a stage when production can be arranged. The62W British Transport Commission have accordingly applied for my formal approval to the adoption of this system for British Railways.
The inspecting officers of railways, who have been closely associated with the trials, are now satisfied with the working of the system, and they have recommended my approval subject to proof of the reliability of the equipment in its production form, and to final inspection. With this reservation, I have given approval to the British Railways system of automatic train control as designed for use with the vacuum brake.