(The music swells quickly - urgent - and quickly comes to a full close. The speeches are quicker and more urgent now.)

NARRATOR : The Control Office. What things strike you, Mr Listener?
THE LISTENER : Two things - telephones and maps.
NARRATOR : Yes - telephones. You've pictured railways as some fast trains, a lot of slower trains and a large number of still slower waggons. The whole thing very slow, in fact - especially when your train's late. But behind that network is another network - a network of telephone lines - independent of the Post Office - a vast telephone and teleprinter system belonging to the railways. They've got to work too fast to wait until you've finished phoning your wife to tell her you've been detained at the office. Remember those ripples? Well, the telephone's the weapon they use to keep them out of an impossible tangle.
THE LISTENER : What happens if the wires are blitzed?
NARRATOR : Beginning to take an interest, are you? What happens if your telephone lines are blitzed, Mr Gordon?
GORDON [pre-occupied] : We use radio transmitters. Some are mobile - on cars and waggons. But who the hell mentioned blitz? [Into phone] Get me Docks Department, Northbay, please - urgent.
NARRATOR : Ever used them, Mr. Gordon?
GORDON : Yes - when the heavy raids were on. Docks Department? Mr. Madden, please . . . Mr. Madden? Gordon here. You've heard about that convoy diversion to Southbay?
MADDEN [his Northern voice is brisk and businesslike] : Yes, I heard. You'll want the freight and passenger stock transferred to Southbay, I supppose? We're busy turning them round.
GORDON [his speeches are quick and terse] : Good man. How long do you want?
MADDEN : You can have the first ones out in about two hours. But, Mr. Gordon, haven't they any spare waggons at Southbay? Help us a lot if they had - and you, too, I should think.
GORDON : Dam' - ought to have thought of that myself. Hang on, Madden, will you? I'll get on to Dunne. [He picks up another phone]. Docks Department, Southbay. I want Mr. Dunne - urgent.
NARRATOR [quiet close] : And those maps you mentioned, Mr. Listener. Above each desk a map - each map a section of the Division. And each man knows his section like the back of his hand - can talk in an instant to any signal box, any station, any yard, any hut, in his section. Phones and maps - playing important parts in the game of keeping them moving.
GORDON : That you, Mr. Dunne? Gordon here. Heard about this diversion?
DUNNE [His dialect is different. Railwaymen are a rich cross-section of all the varied types and dialects of Britain.] : Aye - and it's causin' a right ruddy flap down here, I can tell you. I don't think we've got -
GORDON : Just a minute, Mr. Dunne, before we get down to your worries. I've got Madden on the other line. The point is this - if we can avoid transferring all his waggons to you, it'll help a lot. Any spares down there? Be generous - we're in a jam.
DUNNE : I daresay I could manage 200 waggons - but I don't think we've got -
GORDON : Just a minute, Mr. Dunne. Madden, Dunne can provide us with 200 waggons. That'll mean only 100 from you - and the six passenger stock of course.
MADDEN : Champion. I'll start moving them right away.
DUNNE : But, Mr. Gordon, I don't think we've got -
MADDEN : They should be out of the yard and up at the junction in two hours. Can you make way for them soon, d'ye think?
GORDON : Don't you worry about that. You get them up to Stanley Junction at 20-minute intervals and I'll have a road ready for them - somehow - for part of the way, anyway. O.K., Mr. Madden, get on with it. Now, Mr. Dunne, what's worrying you?
DUNNE : A hell of a lot. Waggons are no good without engines and crews, and I'm short of both.
GORDON : These trains have got priority. Can't you cancel something? You only need four engines. What about the 4.30 and 5 o'clock general goods? That'll give you two.
DUNNE : They've been standin' two days.
GORDON : Can't help that. Anything else you can cut out?
DUNNE : Not a ruddy thing.
GORDON : O.K. I'll get you two up from the sheds somehow. What about crews?
DUNNE : I'm short. We had a big day yesterday. I couldn't book the 8 p.m. men off till midnight. And I'm dangerously low with my relief staff.
GORDON : How many do you want? - the absolute minimum, mind you.
DUNNE : I'll have to check up. Let you know in half an hour. That do?
GORDON : As soon as you can. But get those 200 waggons marshalled immediately. [And he replaces his receiver.]
NARRATOR : Is the picture clear? Six empty passenger trains and one hundred empty waggons to be transferred from Northbay to Southbay. A fifty-mile road to be made clear for them. Trains to be held up - others to be cancelled. Four empty troop trains and two hundred waggons now headed for Northbay to be diverted to Southbay. Roads to be made for them. Trains to be held up. Others to be cancelled. . . . To-night, 10 troop trains and 10 freight trains to leave Southbay on their long journey south-east - eight hours earlier than was expected. A road to be made for them. More trains to be held up. More to be cancelled. . . . A big series of movements suddenly flung on to a network of lines already groaning under such a strain that 12,642 waggons on it are already jammed tight - a series of movements that will affect every Division, that will affect passengers standing on small platforms more than a hundred miles away. . . . The eyes in the Control Office never leave the maps. The phones are never silent. The ripples are spreading. Not slowly like those in a pond - but spreading at 30--40--50--60 miles an hour!

(There is a surge of music which goes to a background - a background of constantly changing pitches to suit the stream of voices - different in manner and accent. The music and voices rise in a steady crescendo.)

1ST VOICE : Hullo, B box. Empty passenger stock coming on to your section to be diverted to Southbay line. Urgent priority. Start a box-to-box message.
2ND VOICE : Hullo, Engine Control. Two freight engines needed at Southbay - urgent.
3RD VOICE : Hullo, Loco Shed. Four drivers and four firemen urgently wanted for Southbay.
PORTER : Sorry, sir. Can't tell you how late it'll be.
4TH VOICE : Hullo, C Box. Passenger stock due on your line in five minutes. Special diversion for Southbay.
5TH VOICE : Hullo, Control Office. If I take those special freight trains it means holding up the branch local for 15 minutes.
6TH VOICE : Hullo, Missus. Is Sam in? He's wanted up at the sheds immediately.
PORTER : Sorry, Madam, can't tell you when she'll come in.
7TH VOICE : Hullo, Yardmaster. Cancel the 5.15 and 6.15 freight trains.
8TH VOICE : Hullo, Stationmaster's Office. Better get out a loud-speaker message that the 3.40, 4.50 and 5.10 will be 20 minutes late.
9TH VOICE : Hullo, Charlie. Hold back all locals until the Southbay specials are through.
PORTER [with finality] : Sorry, sir, can't tell you when she'll depart.

(The music swells and ends full, but leaving the atmosphere quicker and more vibrant.)

DIV. SUP. : How's it going, Gordon?
GORDON : Well, we're still in the thick of it. The trouble is it's hitting both the early evening and late evening rush hours. It's a hell of a tangle, sir.
DIV. SUP. : Mm. . . . When can you let me have a list of starting and passing times?
GORDON : Well, if nothing else turns up I can begin to let you have stuff about 5 o'clock, I should think, sir.

(The door opens suddenly.)

BRIGGS : Sorry to interrupt, sir, but what about that special 9.30 freight?
DIV. SUP. [slowly] : What special 9.30 freight?
GORDON [softly] : Hell's bells! It's a special fast freight - 30 waggons of bombs - four thousand pounders - and 20 waggons of cannon shells. We had to route it part of the way on the passenger line. It's due at its destination at nine to-morrow morning.

(The DIv. Sup. picks up his phone. He is in rather a hurry.)

DIV. SUP. : Get me Mr. Boyle. Is she marshalled, Briggs?
BRIGGS : No, sir. We're waiting for the 20 waggons of shells - been a hold-up at the factory.
DIV. SUP. : Good afternoon, Mr. Boyle. Fairbank here. Got a problem I'd like your decision on. We've got that special freight train due out at 9.30 to-night.
BOYLE : Yes, I know it - bombs and shells, urgent priority.
DIV. SUP. : Well, it'll be right in the teeth of the specials. Can we put it back?
BOYLE : How long?
DIV. SUP. : We'd need six hours to keep it out of the way of the convoy stuff.
BOYLE : Just a minute. Hang on, will you?
GORDON : Briggs, we'd better tell the men who are handling this job they'll have to stay on to-night - until the first one or two trains are through here, anyway.
BOYLE : Sorry, Fairbank. You're out of luck. That freight's due for Westbay, isn't it? There's an outbound convoy waiting for it - sailing on to-morrow night's tide evidently. The train must be there at 9 a.m. or it'll delay the convoy. You'll have to get her off sooner, not later, old man. Can you manage?
DIV. SUP. [brightly] : What's one train among so many, sir? We specialise in magic up here. I can now produce 200 waggons and a guard out of an empty hat while balancing two apoplectic yardmasters on my toes.
BOYLE : Don't get hysterical, Fairbank. Keep me in touch. Good afternoon. [And the phone conversation is ended.]
DIV. SUP. : Hysterical! Well, I'll be-- [He picks up his phone again.] Get me the yardmaster, please. Hysterical. Mr. Briggs - er, Bloggs - sorry, Briggs. Bloggs, that 9.30 special. We've got to get her out sooner - probably 8.30. What's the position?
BLOGGS [very "weathered" voice] : Well, sir, we're waitin' for them there shells. As soon as they come in, we can get her marshalled. But seein' she wasn't movin' until to-night, I've moved two trains in front of her.
DIV. SUP. : Well, clear them out again immediately, Bloggs, and keep the road clear.
BLOGGS : It'll mean takin' men off other jobs, guv'ner.
DIV. SUP. : Doesn't matter. Start at once. We'll get on to the factory about the other waggons.

(Phone down again.)

Cheerful guy, Bloggs. Well, watch this one specially, Gordon. Get Jackson on to the factory. Get her on the road at 8.30 at the latest. Make way for her on the passenger line for the first 30 miles. That'll give her a good start. Keep her movements flexible - watch her right down the line - but - keep her moving, Gordon.

(The music begins - a quiet but urgent background.)

NARRATOR : Well, tired of offices, Mr. Listener? Tired of phone calls and complications? That's the railways - planning, altering, re-planning. . . . Your carriage is just one tiny part of one thread in a wide web - and you never see the spinners in the centre. You've seen only the beginning, the fringe of the complications. But all right - out of the offices - into the fresh air. That convoy's close inshore!

(The music swells - faster and more urgent and finishes on a brass chord. This is cross-faded with ships' sirens. Added is a background of dock noises - cranes, railway-engines, seagulls and what you will. . . and we are with the Narrator and the Listener watching the convoy arrive.)

NARRATOR : And another convoy arrives, Mr. Listener. . . . Safely. . . . Week after week they arrive - intact, thank God. . . Another victory . . . and the railways have to pay the price of that victory . . . and your cold feet on Junction X platform are part of the price, too. . . . [Suddenly, very stirringly] This isn't just a dock. These engines and waggons are more than engines and waggons. Those drivers and firemen, shunters and gangers and guards and inspectors, are more than railwaymen. They are part of the Second Front. . . .