Passenger Tickets will not be issued to or from any particular stations, but like postage stamps will vary only according to the fares and special charges for the time being in force. The four denominations of 5s., 1s., 6d. and 1d. will, of course, be required, and 4s. and 5d. tickets could also be issued to make up the first class fares with the 1s. and 1d. tickets.
These tickets will be sold not only at every railway station, but also at every Post Office and in automatic machines. Every railway station will be, or will contain, a Post Office, with all postal, telegraphic and telephonic facilities, and every Post Office will sell not only passenger tickets but also railway stamps for parcels, goods and live stock.
Goods traffic will also consist of two services only, namely:—
(1) Fast Service, corresponding with the present service “per passenger train,” the charge for which will be an average of ten shillings per ton for any distance.
(2) Slow Service, corresponding with the present service “per goods train,” the charge for which will be an average of one shilling and sixpence per ton for any distance.
For both these services stamps will be issued of various denominations, and applied in manner now in use for the Parcels Post, with any necessary modification; for instance, the stamps might be affixed to consignment notes in the case of goods in bulk, or other suitable arrangements might be made for large quantities of goods.
For the slow goods traffic a regular service of goods trains will be organised so that at every town or village in the United Kingdom served by rail there may be at least one delivery and one collection daily, more populous places, of course, having more frequent services.
For the fast goods traffic a similar regular service will be organised, and in cases where the traffic will warrant it special fast goods trains will be run; otherwise the goods will be carried by the passenger trains.
In course of time provision should be made for all trunk lines to have at least two double lines of rails, upon one of which fast trains for passengers and goods will run at uniform speeds, and at regular intervals, and upon the other the local trains and slow goods trains, also at uniform speed and at regular intervals.
The present complicated system of differential rates, which vary not only according to distance but also according to the nature, quality and value of goods, and involving different rates, amounting in number literally to millions, would be swept away, the only variations in rates being in respect of such obvious matters as weight, size, whether carried in bulk or in packages, in open trucks or closed, whether requiring special care or labour in packing or otherwise. The average rates proposed would, it is believed, admit of a uniform rate for any distance for minerals and other goods carried in bulk in open trucks, of no more than the lowest rate now in force, by charging higher rates for goods requiring closed trucks and more labour in handling, still higher rates for goods of abnormal size or weight, and higher rates still for single small parcels, on account of greater proportionate expense of handling. For the small single parcels the rate might be for slow service as much as 6d. for any weight up to 1cwt. (equal to 10s. per ton), and for fast service say 1s., or possibly more, for any weight up to 1cwt., the weight being graduated downwards for parcels of greater weight as are the rates now in force for letter and parcels post. The goods traffic would be in effect an extension of the present parcels post, the present rates for which would probably be capable of very substantial reduction.