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Describing How a Mixed Fleet of 30-seater Machines is Undertaking
Page 152
Page 153
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the Transport of Over Eleven Million Passengers Per Annum at a Profit IN 1923 began the displacement of the trams in Ipswich and by July, 1926, the rail-bound vehicles were finally abolished in favour of the trolley-buses, which now hold undisputed sway. At first there were only three machines in service ; these were of Railless make. Since that small beginning a further 38 vehicles have been incorporated in the fleet, which now totals 41 machines, each capable of carrying 30 passengers.
In addition to the Rail-less trolley-buses, there are machines from the Ransome, Garrett and Tilling-Stevens factories, the first-named make of machine predominating in point of numbers. Amongst the reasons for the selec thin of the trolley-bus to supersede the tram was the fact that a complete overhead equipment was in existence and it was only necessary to add the second wire—an outlay of comparatively small proportions being required. In addition, the corporation runs its own power station and the supply of current is, therefore, cheaply obtained. The narrow streets which obtain in many parts of Ipswich magnify the sound of passing vehicles ; it is, therefore, ve6 suitable that so silent a machine as the trolley-bus should be employed in the circumstances.
At present five routes are operated, namely, (1) Cornhill to the station, (2) Bramford Road and Derby Road Station, (3) Whitton and Lattice Barn, (4) Felixstowe Road and Bourne Bridge, (5) Loudon Road and Foxhall Road, The routes as worked, including overlaps, cover 16.79 miles, the greatest length of any route being 4.53 miles and the D58 shortest .64 mile. With the exception of route 1, a 10-minute service is given and the average speed maintained is 8.82 m.p.h.
There are various steep gradients th be encountered in the town, and Bishop's Hill, on route No. 4, is a long, trying climb. The trolley-buses can hold their own in point of speed on this gradient with a great many petrol-propelled passenger vehicles of much smaller capacity, whilst their acceleration is of a high order.
Reverting to the growth of the fleet, the following is the state of affairs since 1923 :-1923, 3 trolley-buses; 1924, 4; 1926, 5; 1927, 35; 1928, 36; 1929, 41. At present there is a need for further vehicles and we understand increases are contemplated. The trolley-buses supplied new in recent years have been mounted on pneumatic tyres, but 15 of the Garrett machines have been converted from solid to pneumatic equipment and some of the Ransome vehicles have had cushion tyres substituted for the original solids.
All repairs are effected at the transport and electricity departments' headquarters, which adjoin the general offices, situated at Russell House, Russell Road, Ipswich. When the trams were superseded, the majority of the men then ernployed as drivers was trained on the trolleybuses and continued in the service of the corporation. All conductors must be capable of driving.
A 16-hour day is worked in all, the first vehicle starting at 6.15 a.m. and the last at 10.45 p.m. One-man operation is relied upon during the hours when traffic is at a comparatively low ebb and the driver carries on single-handed on Sundays, change-giving machines being installed in the vehicles to help him in this work. On Sundays the first bus starts duty at approximately 10 a.m.
One of the difficulties with which ' Mr. A. S. Black, M.I.E.E., the chief engineer and manager, has to contend with is the fact that the lunch interval of those engaged in business in the town is spread over so short a period. It extends only from 12.45 p.m. to about 2.30 p.m., which means that a large number of the workers in the town has to be carried to and from the points of refreshment in 11hour.. Certain of the vehicles are kept in reserve during the morning to cope with the luncheonhour rush. The average number of buses in service during the 16-hour day is 28.75. Another peak-load period is between 8 a.m. and 9 am.
Certain statistics concerning the service are of considerable interest and it will be helpful to compare the results quoted for 1922-23 with, those for the year ended March, 1929; in the former year trams, of course, predomi
nated :— 1922-23. 1928-29.
Minimum fare 1ird. d. • Miles covered 577,493 1,210,444 Passengers carried 5,541,339 11,313,791 Average speed 7.34 m.p.h. 8.82 m.p.h.
Traffic revenue per mile ... 17.61d. 12.384.
Working expenses per mile 16.38d. 9.56d.
Journeys per head of the population 131.69
In connection with the above figures, it is interesting to notice that the journeys per head of the population have increased by nearly 100 per cent., which indicates that the present transport system of Ipswich is a popular one. In 1923 the year's workings showed a financial loss of £3.193, but in the last complete financial year the surplus was £2,252. The net surplus was £404, after paying the annual debt charges ahd meeting special expenses. Mr. Black calls special attention in the report for the last financial year, to the economy in power cost of the trolley-bus, as compared with the petrol-propelled bus. At present the electric machines are consuming nearly 2,000,000 units of power produced in the corporation's own power station, at a cost which has shown a reduction since. 1927. He calculates that the cost of power, if derived from petrol, would have increased by £2,775 in the same period, so that the use of electric traction has resulted in a saving of approximately. .6d. per bus-mile.
The population served by the Ipswich Corporation trolley-bus system is estimated at 85,910 persons and the average number of passengers carried per bus-mile is 9.34; the average fare paid per passenger is 1.328d. The busiest day in the year is the Saturday immediately be f or e Christmas. On December 22nd, 1928, the takings reached the record figure of £308 10s. 8d.
The traffic revenue for the a last complete financial year was 162,477, whilst working C X pense s proved to be £48,234. The average fare charged per mile is 1.118d., whilst the workmen's tickets show an average return of .533d. per mile on the singleway tickets and .569d. on the returns.
The revenue has, we are told, gone up in a very gratifying way, and but for the long spell of very cold weather last winter the receipts would probably have been some MO greater. Although the total income increased, during the year. ended ended March, 1929, by £6,747, the income per bus-mile ; remained practically stationary. The total receipts increased in almost exactly the same proportion as the mileage. This is a healthy sign, as it indicates that the new mileage is not drawing upon certain of the older-established routes.
Another interesting and reassuring fact is that on every route the income per bus-mile exceeds the average total expenses per bus-mile.
In the last complete financial year the working expenses showed an increase of 14,290, or 9.76 per cent. On the other hand, the expenses per mile were lower by .182d. The growth of the expenses item is due to the' greater mileage now worked and to the increase in repair costs. As the mileage run is now greater the tyre bill is higher. Owing to the absence of spare vehicles the trolley-buses have been in continuous service, and it is only comparatively recently that comprehensive repairs to brake and running gear have been possible.