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Rail journeys—An increasing number of patients who have to travel relatively long
distances are being conveyed by rail. These arrangements not only ensure speedy and
comfortable journeys for the patients but also relieve the pressure upon the resources of
the ambulance services and thanks are due to the railway authorities for their co-operation,
which often extends to the provision of special rolling stock to enable particular types of
case to be accommodated.
As London is the nodal point of railway communication, this Service is frequently asked
by other authorities to convey between terminal stations patients travelling by these
'ambulance-train-ambulance' arrangements. Of a total of about 25,000 such patients
conveyed in 1960, only 5,749 travelled under arrangements originated by this Service, the
remainder being conveyed at the request of other authorities.
The following tables give a cross-section of the work of the general and accident sections
of the directly provided service in 1960 and some comparisons with earlier years.

notes—1. These numbers include some urgent parturition cases and patients removed by general section
ambulances when passing the scene of an accident.
2. Some accident calls are answered by vehicles from general stations, usually when an ambulance
from the nearest accident station is not available.

* Fewer calls for gas-and-air analgesia apparatus because of the introduction of trilene apparatus which
is portable by midwives.
† Made personally at ambulance stations.
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