Southern Railway (UK) - Operations

Operations

The running of the Southern was undertaken by the Board of Directors, the first Chairman of which was Sir Hugh Drummond, appointed to the post in 1923. There were originally three general managers representing the interests of the three pre-Grouping railway companies: Sir Herbert Walker, Percy Tempest and William Forbes, although Walker was the sole occupant in the post within a year. The position of Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Southern Railway was given to a former employee of the SECR, Richard Maunsell. For ease of administration, the lines inherited in 1923 were divided into three geographical sections with a Traffic Department for each, loosely based upon the areas covered by the amalgamated companies:

  • The Western Section (former LSWR routes) included the South Western Main Line, the Portsmouth Direct Line one quarter of the West Coastway Line (between Portsmouth and Southampton), and the West of England Main Line, both serving destinations popular with holidaymakers. It stretched into Devon and Cornwall, and this circuitous route was known derisively as the Southern Railway's "Withered Arm" because the GWR had a stronger presence in this region.
  • The Central Section (former LB&SCR routes) included the Brighton Main Line (the most profitable and heavily used main line), the East Coastway Line, three quarters of the West Coastway Line, the Arun Valley Line and the Sutton & Mole Valley Lines.
  • The Eastern Section (former SECR routes) included the South Eastern Main Line, the Chatham Main Line, the Hastings Line, the Kent Coast Line and the North Downs Line.

Operational and Commercial aspects of railway operation were brought under the control of Traffic Managers, relieving the General Manager of many tasks, allowing him to make policy decisions. Specialised Superintendents served under the Traffic Manager, breaking down the task of operating their respective sections. As such, the Southern Railway operated a hybrid system of centralised and decentralised management.

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