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1" ailway Air
Services, td.
T N our air-transport news pages duri in g the past few weeks we have recorded the formation of Railway Air Services, Ltd., as a joint enterprise of the four railway companies and Imperial Airways, Ltd.
To summarize the position, on March 21 the company was registered with a nominal capital of £50,000 in £1 shares. One director is appointed by each of the five interested companies. Brig.-Gen. Sir Harold Hartles, vice-president of the L.M.S. Railway Co., is to be chairman, and the other directors are Lieut.-Col. H. Burchell (Imperial Airways), Mr. O. H. Corble (L.N.E.R.), Mr. S. B. Collett (G.W.R.), and Mr. G. S. Szlumper (S.R.). Lieut.Col. Burchell is assistant general manager of Imperial Airways, Ltd.
On March 15, six days before the registration of the company, an advertisement for a manager appeared in The Times, and on March 26 it was learned that "a small fleet" of de Havilland DI186 four-engined 10-Seater biplanes, of the type illustrated in this paper on January 26 and having a cruising speed of 145-148 m.p.h., had been ordered by Imperial Airways, Ltd. These are for Continental routes and for the internal services of the new company.
On March 28 Railway Air Services, Ltd., issued a statement of its plans for this year, from which it appears that not more than three routes are to be operated for the time being on behalf of the railways. One of these is the route between London and the Isle of Wight, which Spartan Air Lines, Ltd.; operated throughout last summer ; it will be recalled that Imperial Airways, Ltd., acted as London agents for this service. From May 1 the line will be operated as a joint service by an arrangement concluded between the Southern Railway Co. and Spartan Air Lines, Ltd. An interesting point is that the Ryde aerodrome belongs to Portsmouth, Southsea and Isle of Wight Aviation, Ltd., but the Spartan concern has an aerodrome at Cowes. Croydon will be the London terminal.
The service which the G.W.R. Co. ian in 1933, between Birmingham, Cardiff and Plymouth, is to be revived, with probably a call at Bristol and possibly an extension northwards to Liver pool. The extensions depend upon satisfactory arrangements being made with aerodrome owners.
As expected, there will be a new line from London to Belfast, with, perhaps, an extension tei Campbeltown and Glasgow. At present there is no arrangement for any air service in the area of the L.N.E.R. railway system, but routes are being investigated.
The immediate plans of the railways do not appear extensive, but aircraft at present operated by the independent companies are likely to find it difficult to compete with the DH86 machines, which set a high standard of . safety, speed and comfort. They are claimed to be able to maintain a height of 2,600 ft with two engines stoppedi.e., on half power and with full load.