In Public Service,
Page 9
Page 10
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Wimbledon Town Council has ordered a Mann steam road-roller at £185.
The Birmingham Motor Omnibus Co. is not satisfied with the results of its Oldbury service.
Westminster City Council is on the point of considering the expediency of getting rid of its horse department.
• Newport (Moo.) Chamber of Commerce may shortly purchase a motor ambulance, or at least assist to that end.
Accrington Corporation has placed its order, for a 20 h.p. motor tower-wagon, at £610, with Leyland Motors, Ltd.
The Health Committee of the Halifax Town Council is ready to consider the subject of motors for street-cleansing purposes.
The Berlin police have decided that 500 more horse-cabs shall be withdrawn from the streets of the city, and that 50 new licences shall be issued for petrol-driven taxicabs.
The Islington Borough Council has been ordered, by a decision of the King's Bench Division, to reconsider the assessment of the L.C.(2. tramways undertaking in its area.
The latest dodge in body fittings consists of a movable glass partition, extending the whole inside width of the char.k-bancs, adapted to be placed between any two r OW S of seats, thus varying the accommodation for different classes of passengers.
J. Nall and Co., Ltd., of Manchester, has approached the Feel es Town Council with reference to motorbuses between Eccles and Urmston ; Messrs, Dyson and Dudley, Ltd., of Manchester, has received a licence to run a motorbus between Stretford and Charlton.
The receipts af the National Steam. Car Co., Ltd., for the week ended 7th December, 1913, were S:.350. This shows an increase of £1014 over the corresponding period of last. year.
The receipts of the Tramway (M.E.T.) Omnibus Co., Ltd., for the week ended 29th November, 1913, were i8027, and for the Gearless Omnibus Co., Ltd., £491. These show an increase of £461 and £17 respectively as against the previous week.
L.C.C. and Evidence.
Londou cor4ners are, very properly in our opinion, objecting to the L.C.C. Tramways Department's instructions to its employees, that they shall not give statements to police officers, or to coroners' officers. The alleged reason for this reticence is that the men, in the exeitenient of the moment after an accident, may say something that is not quite correct. -We are at a loss to understand why the L.C.O. should be entitled to contr31 and
edit" evidence in this fashion. No latitude of the kind is allowed to any ordinary user of the highway. There is, it appears to us, every likelihood that a public scandal may develop from this etas% of procedure.
Bedford-Luton L.G.O.C.
Luton Watch Committee is new allowing the Bedford section of the L.G.O.e. to run a service of buses into Luton, subject to no service beyond Manchester Square, and to a minimum fare inside the Borough of 2d. That is one way, of course, of protecting the tramcars, which are held to serve the area within the Borough adequately.
Fire-brigade Matters.
Derby Town Council has purchased .a Dennis motor fire-engine at £998 Is. 10d. .
Kettering U.D.C. has instructed its surveyor to make inquiries as to the cost of a motor fire-engine. .
Wallasey U.D.C. is proceeding with a re-organization scheme for its fire brigade, which includes the erection of new station aceomnrodalion and the purchase of motor equipment.
Oxford at Last.
TiQic. old University town of Oxftird has probably been uniquo in preserving its ancient horsedrawn tramwa.ys for so long. Often in the past have, there been discussions on the possibility of substituting electric trams or motorbuses, and some tirne ago the Daimler Co. sent down two buses in order to educate • the Oxford people's minds to the possibilities of the motorbus. Free rides were given, but after a few days the buses returned and nothing more was heard of them until quite recently Mr. W. R. Morris, the maker of the Morris-Oxford light car, decided that he would put two of the latest Daimler busPes on the road in spite of the opposition of some of the local authorities. The machines were not allowed to ply for hire, and so coupons were arranged and were obtainable at various shops en route. The arrival of the buses from. Coventry last week created a great stir in Oxford, the drivers being cheered as, they went through the old University town. On Friday morning last at 7.45 the first of the new buses was driven from Cowley to the railway station right down to the Ijigh 'Street, crowds standing in. the streets and ch6ering it. as it passed. Only two buses are. running at present, as it is considered better to cover the Cowley-High Street-Railway Station. stretch well by a 15-minute service than badly, as would be the case were it attempted to cover the Summertown-Carfax route with one bus and the Cowley Railway Stalion
route with the other. It will be inteYesting to see what steps the local authorities take regarding this enterprising venture on thll part of Mr. Morns. Frinton-on-Sea U.D.C. wishes to receive, on or before the 22nd inst., tenders for a motor fire-engine.
Bootle Town Council has appointed a sub-committee to make inquiries concerning motor fireengines.
The L.C.C. invites tenders (page 31 of advertisement section in this issue) for the supply of petroldriven motor fire-engines, and petrol-driven motor escape-vans.
Colne Town Council has been authorized to spend 2485 for the purchase of property in connection with fire-station extensions, and another 1450 for expenditure on street fire-alarms.
The chief of the Farnborough (Hants.) fire brigade recently signed a petition against a proposal for the acquirement of a motor fire. engine. He believes that the time has not yet arrived for the provision of such equipment.
Motorbuses in North Queensland.
We received a visit, last :Monday, from Mr. C. H. Tice, who until recently was engineer and manager of the Sownsville Motor Omnibus Co., N. Queensland, whose fleet, it may be xecalled," we have illustrated on recent occasions in THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
Mr. Tice, who is on a business visit to this country, has much of interest to tell concerning conditions in the tropical part of Australia in which he has been engaged. Townsville, it appears, is a city of 20,000 inhabitants, which has grown from, nothing in the last 50qears, and Mr. Tice is of opinion that it bids fair to become one of the leading cities in that part of the world in the future. It is a great centre for the frozen mutton trade, and in this connection a considerable number of motor vehicles are being sent inland for transport to and from the sheep farms.
With regard to the motorbus services in the city, it would ,appear that these are running at a profit, and Mr. Tice testifies very generously to the remarkable way in which the Dennis machines that are
employed there are holding up to the execrable road conditions which, as a rule, exist on the routes upon which operations are carried OH. . In particular, he speaks well of the Dennis worm and its capacities for high mileage. Townsville is to have a tram service one day, but until then it can reckon to have been well served by its fleet of Dennis motorbuses.
Continued good reports come to hand concerning the working of the Simplex petrol tramcars in Karachi, which vehicles were purchased by the East India Tramways Co., Ltd., in 1909. A heavy working loss has been turned into a handsome profit.
Norwich Town Council has to be added to the list of authorities who are perturbed concerning motorbus services. It is quite likely that the Council will shortly sanction the purchase of such vehicles, as tramway auxiliaries.
Croydon Corporation has resolved to invite tenders for a motor ambulance, and has agreed to spend not more than £000 on it. The same council has accepted the tender of Dennis Bros., Ltd., of Guildford, at £2830, for two motor fire-engines and a motor wagon. Hove brigade is busily engaged seeking private subscriptions towards the purchase of a. motor fireengine.
New Registrations.
The Nuneaton and Stockingford Omnibus Co., Ltd., with an authorized capital of 22000 in El shares, and with its office at 48, Croft Road, Stoekingford, Nun
eaton, Warwick, to carry on the business indicated by the title. First directors : Joseph H. Whitehouse, Charles Reader, Robert Randle, William Fennell, Edward Cope, Sam Fennell arid Maurice Berry.
The Clqeton and District Motor Service, Ltd., with an authorized capital of 25250 (5000 ordinary shares of El each, and 5000 deferred shares of Is. each), by Best and Best, 24, Budge Row, E.C., to carry on the business indicated by the title.
Ogden and Dickman, Ltd., with an authorized capital of 23000 in El shares, by Alfred H. Atkins, 27-8, Fetter Lane, P.C., to carry on the business of carriers of passengers and goods, and proprietors of motor omnibuses, chars--banes, and taxicabs, etc.