COACHES.
xxl
are issued in all the districts chiefly frequented by tourists (comp.
pp. 277, 451). Smoking is not permitted except in the compart¬
ments provided for the purpose. The speed of British trains is
usually much higher than that of Continental railways, and a rate
of 40-50 M. an hour is not uncommon (comp. pp. 106, 455).
On all the English lines the first-class passenger is entitled to carry
112/6. of luggage free, second-class 80/6., and third-class 60/6. The com¬
panies, however, rarely make any charge for overweight, unless the excess
is exorbitant. On all inland routes the traveller should see that his lug¬
gage is duly labelled for his destination, and put into the right van, as other¬
wise the railways are not responsible for its transport. Travellers to the
Continent require to book their luggage and obtain a ticket for it, after
which it gives them no farther trouble. The railway porters are nominally
forbidden to accept gratuities, but it is a common custom to give 2d-6d. to
the porter who transfers the luggage from the cab to the train or vice versa.
Travellers accustomed to the formalities of Continental railway officials
may perhaps consider that in England they are too much left to themselves.
Tickets are not invariably checked at the beginning of a journey, and
travellers should therefore make sure that they are in the proper com¬
partment. The names of the stations are not always so conspicuous as
they should be (especially at night); and the way in which the porters
call them out, laying all the stress on the last syllable, is seldom of much
assistance. The officials, however, are generally civil in answering ques¬
tions and giving information. In winter foot-warmers with hot water are
usually provided. It is 'good form' for a passenger quitting a railway-
carriage where there are other travellers to close the door behind him,
and to pull up the window if he has had to let it down to reach the
door-handle.
The figures in the accompanying table refer to 1389; the number of pass¬
engers is exclusive of season-ticket holders.
Bradshaw's Railway Guide (monthly; 6d.) is the most complete; but
numerous others (the ABC Railway Guide, etc.), claiming to be easier of
reference, are also published. Each of the great railway-companies pub¬
lishes a monthly guide to its own system (price l-2d.).
Coaches. There is now practically nothing in England or
Wales corresponding to the diligence of the Continent, as the rail¬
way net has substantially covered the entire island. In some of the
most frequented tourist-districts, however, such as Wales, the
Lakes, Devon, and Cornwall, coaches with two or four horses run
regularly in the season, affording a very pleasant mode of locomo¬
tion in fine weather. In some places {e.g. between New Quay and
Bideford; R. 19) coaches afford the only regular communication.
Coaches also ply from London to various points in the vicinity.
The coaches are generally well-horsed and the fares reasonable.
The best places are on the box-seat, beside the driver, who usually
expects a small gratuity. — The regular charge for one-horse car¬
riages is 1«. per mile, carriage-and-pair is. Gd.-ls. per mile fhalf-
fare in returning; i.e. the one-horse carr. fare to a point 10 M. off,
and back, should be about 15s.); driver extra.
Steamboats. Steamboats play by no means so important a
part in the tourist-districts of England and Wales as they do in
those of Scotland fsee p. 452); but lovers of the sea will find no
difficulty in indulging their taste, as the coasts of England are
alive with steamers plying between the various ports. In summer
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