ention to these regulations, each engineman is
fined one shilling for every minute he is behind time in leaving the
shed. The difficulty of making these runnings of trains dovetail into
each other on lines where the traffic is great and constant, may well be
understood to be considerable, particularly when it is remembered that
ordinary regular traffic is interfered with constantly by numerous
excursion, special, and other irregular trains, in the midst of which,
also, time must be provided for the repair and renewal of the line
itself, the turning of old rails, laying down of new ones, raising
depressed sleepers, renewing broken chairs, etcetera,--all which is
constantly going on, and that, too, at parts of the line over which
hundreds of trains pass in the course of the twenty-four hours.

Besides the arrangements for the regular traffic, which are made
monthly, a printed sheet detailing the special traffic, repairs of
lines, new and altered signals, working arrangements, etcetera, is
issued weekly to every member of the staff; particularly to
engine-drivers and guards. We chance to possess one of these private
sheets, issued by one of our principal railways. Let us peep behind the
scenes for a moment and observe how such matters are managed.

The vacation has come to an end, and the boys of Rapscallion College
will, on a certain day, pour down on the railway in shoals with money in
hand and a confident demand for accommodation. This invading army must
be prepared for. Ordinary trains are not sufficient for it. Delay is
dangerous on railways; it must not be permitted; therefore the watchful
superintendent writes an order which we find recorded as follows:--

"_Wednesday, 26th April_,--Accommodation must be provided on this day
in the 3:10 and 6:25 p.m. Up, and 2:25 and 6:10 p.m. Down Trains, for
the Cadets returning to Rapscallion College. By the Trains named,
Rapscallion College tickets will be collected at Whitewater on the
Down journey, and at Smokingham on the Up journey. Oldershot to send
a man to Whitewater to assist in the collection of these tickets."

Again--a "Relief Train" has to be utilised. It won't "pay" to run empty
trains on the line unnecessarily, therefore the superintendent has his
eye on it, and writes:--

"_April_ 23rd.--An Empty Train will leave Whiteheath for Woolhitch at
about 8:10 p.m., to work up from Woolhitch at 9:05 p.m., calling at
Woolhitch Dockyard and Cur