Article from Page 5 of the DAILY MIRROR of Monday, February 15, 1971.

By RONALD RICKETTS

TRAVELLERS were given two pieces of advice last night after British Rail's first day of decimal dealing. They were told to get to the station in good time - and to check their change. The advice came after British Rail went decimal twenty-four hours before the rest of the country.

Mr. Reginald Bowden, chief clerk at Wimbledon, one of London's busiest commuter stations said:

"Passengers should allow themselves a few extra minutes to get their tickets. All our staff are trained and on our side of the counter we will do all we can to speed things along. But there are bound to be delays on the other side of the counter." Rail officials reported little trouble with the new coinage. Mr. Leonard Merryweather, chief accountant for British Rail's Southern Region said: "Things have gone so smoothly that people are calling it a non-event. But for us it has been so smooth that it has been a big event."

London Transport who switched to decimals for the Tube yesterday reported no major problems either. The changeover for their buses comes next Sunday.

One man who wasn't surprised by the success of yesterday's switch, was Southern Region's "decimal king", 48-year-old Neil Norris. He has been through the changeover before - in his home country, New Zealand, which went decimal in 1967. The Decimal Currency Board said last night that today's big switch should be "all smiles" if British Rail's findings are anything to go by.