§ 47. Mr. Ellis Smithasked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on the report of the Chief Inspecting Officer of Railways after his investigation of the accidents, caused by explosions and failures, on Glasgow's new electric train service and on the Eastern and Scottish Region new electric train services.
§ Mr. HayThe Final Report of the Chief Inspecting Officer of Railways on the failures of multiple-unit electric trains on British Railways shows that all the fundamental difficulties, including 61W those associated with the dual-voltage system, have been overcome; the faults have been eliminated or modifications are in hand. The multiple-units now in operation are functioning satisfactorily but, as explained in the report, the modifications to some of the units are of a major character and will take some time to complete.
My right hon. Friend agrees with the Chief Inspecting Officer's conclusions that the dual-voltage system with automatic change-over was essential for the Glasgow and Eastern Region suburban services, and that some of the serious difficulties that arose might have been avoided had the Commission insisted on longer and more extensive trial running. These difficulties have now been resolved and the lessons learnt from hard experience are being applied to future development. A great measure of success has now been achieved: by the end of last month the multiple-units had run for some 28 million miles, and they are adding to this impressive score at a rate of 1½ million unit-miles a month. The second phase of the Glasgow suburban electrification south of the river was brought into use without incident on Sunday, 27th May.
New types of equipment and new methods of control of electric traction are now on trial, and further research is in hand. My right hon. Friend has asked the Commission for their observations on the Chief Inspecting Officer's recommendation regarding even greater co-operation in research, and co-ordination of development. I have no doubt that industry will respond to their approaches.
Finally I should like, on behalf of my right hon. Friend, to congratulate the Chief Inspecting Officer on bringing this difficult assignment to a successful conclusion.