HC Deb 04 December 1911 vol 32 cc1186-91W
Mr. CHIOZZA MONEY

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state, for the last five years for which the figures are available, the railway mileage of each of the great European countries, in order to show to what extent the railways in each country have recently been increased?

Mr. BUXTON

The following statement shows for each of the last five years for which the particulars are available the route mileage and track mileage of railways in the United Kingdom, Russia (including Asiatic Russia), Germany, France, Austria, Hungary, and Italy, on the dates specified:—

(B.) RUSSIA IN EUROPE AND ASIA (EXCLUDING FINLAND).
Date. Route mileage built. Track mileage.
Of track proper. Sidings, loops, shunting and secondary station lines reduced to single track. Small branch private lines and sidings reduced to single track. Total track mileage in equivalent of single track.
Single track. Double track. Total reduced to single track.
Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles.
31st December, 1905 38,521 30,996 7,525 46,046 * * *
31st December, 1906 40,071 32,091 7,980 48,051 12,733 1,148 61,931
31st December, 1907 41,152 82,663 8,488 49,640 * * *
31st December, 1908 41,427 32,621 8,806 50,233 * * *
1st July, 1909 43,570 34,646 8,924 52,494 14,847 1,238 68,580
NOTE.—Including narrow gauge lines. * Not stated in the original Russian railway returns for these years.

(C.) GERMANY.
Date. Route mileage. Track mileage.
Of track proper. Length of line in stations, loops, sidings, etc., reduced to single track. Total track mileage in equivalent of single track.
Single track. Double track. Treble track. Quadruple track. Quintuple track. Total reduced to single track.
Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles.
31st March, 1906 … 34,103 22,019 11,942 30 109 3 46,415
31st March, 1907 … 34,619 22,277 12,185 27 125 3 47,251
31st March, 1908 … 35,037 21,962 12,900 37 135 3 48,428 Not stated in the original returns.
31st March, 1909 … 35,617 22,100 13,322 40 152 3 49,487
31st March, 1910 … 36,294 22,408 13,685 42 156 3 50,542

NOTE.—The above particulars relate to normal gauge lines only, and are exclusive of the length of narrow gauge lines stated below.

—— Narrow gauge lines.
1905. 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909.
Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles.
Route mileage 1,279 1,283 1,304 1,314 1,349
Track mileage in equivalent of single track 1,533 1,546 1,573 1,585 1,620

(D.) FRANCE.
Date. Route mileage in operation. Track mileage.
Of track proper. Length of line in stations sidings, loops, etc., reduced to single track. Total track mileage in equivalent of single track.
Single track. Double track Total reduced to single track.
Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles.
31st December, 1905 … 24,582 14,138 10,444 35,026
31st December, 1906 … 24,691 14,135 10,556 35,247
31st December, 1907 … 24,847 14,209 10,638 35,485 Not stated in the original returns.
31st December, 1908 … 24,915 14,202 10,713 35,628
31st December, 1909 … 24,983 Detailed returns not yet received.

NOTE.—mThe above particulars relate to the principal lines (including narrow gauge lines) described as "chemins de fer d'intérèt génêral" only. They are exclusive of the length of the "chemins do fer industriels" and of the "chemins de fer d'inté'rêt local," stated below:—

—— 1905. 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909.
Chemins de fer:— Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles.
Industriels—Route mileage … 145 145 145 145 Detailed returns not yet received
D'intérêt local—Route mileage … 4,273 4,576 4,852 4,970

The track mileage of these two latter groups of lines cannot be stated.

(E.) AUSTRIA.
Date. Route mileage in operation. Track mileage.
Of track proper. Length of line in stations, sidings, loops, etc., reduced to single track. Total track mileage in equivalent, of single track.
Single track. Double, etc., track. Total reduced to single track
Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles.
31st December, 1905 … 13,240 11,026 2,214 14,923 4,417 18,819
31st December, 1906 … 13,627 11,338 2,289 15,330 4,601 19,931
31st December, 1907 … 13,694 11,375 2,319 15,444 4,636 20,080
31st December, 1908 … 13,839 11,461 2,378 15,643 4,764 20,407
31st December, 1909 … 14,146 11,703 2,443 16,018 4,885 20,904

NOTE.—The above particulars are exclusive of the length of the "Schleppbahnen" or short private industrial lines, adjacent to the main tracks, stated below:—

—— 1905. 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909.
Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles.
Route mileage 786 798 788 814 840
Track mileage in equivalent of single track 1,153 1,196 1,208 1,248 1,295

(F.) HUNGARY.
Date. Route mileage in operation. Track mileage.
Of track proper. Length of line in stations sidings, loops, etc., reduced to single track. Total track mileage in equivalent of single track.
Single track. Double, etc., track. Total reduced to single track.
Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles.
31st December, 1905 … 11,254 10,623 636 11,895 2,519 14,415
31st December, 1906 … 11,598 10,871 645 12,162 2,595 14,757
31st December, 1907 … 11,764 11,112 645 12,403 2,668 15,071
31st December, 1908 … 12,193 11,452 666 12,786 2,810 15,596
31st December, 1909 … 12,571 11,868 707 13,284 2,955 16,239

(G.) ITALY.
Date. Route mileage.† Track mileage.
Of track proper. Length of line in stations, sidings, loops, etc., reduced to single track. Total track mileage in equivalent of single track.
Single track. Double track. Total reduced to single track.
Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles. Miles.
30th June, 1905 … 6,460 5,249 1,211 7,671
31st December, 1906 … 7,951* 6,731* 1,220* 9,171*
31st December, 1097 … 8,121 6,882 1,239 9,360 Not stated in the original returns.
30th June, 1908 … 8,187 6,899 1,288 9,475
30th June, 1909 … 8,225 6,900 1,325 9,550
NOTE.—The above particulars relate to State railways only, and are exclusive of private railways with a route mileage of about 2,124 miles in 1909, for which similar details are not available. The length of these lines in previous years is not given in the returns from which the statement was compiled.
* The large increase in the route and track mileage at this date as compared with that for the 30th June, 1905, is due mainly to the acquisition by the State in the interval of the system formerly worked by the Southern Railway Company with a length of approximately 1,379 miles.
† "Lunghezza del inpianto o di construzione."