S.O.S. BUSES IN SERVICE ON TYNESIDE.
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The Latest Activities of a Progressive Concern which Meets the Transport Needs of a Thickly Populated Area.
AN enterprising North-country motorbus company, which has made extensive headway during the past year, despite an unprecedented period of industrial depression in the area which it covers, and which is now laying plans to increase its ramifications, is the Tyuemouth and District Electric Traction Co., Ltd. This undertaking is an associate company of the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., which now employs a fleet of 240 pneumatic-tyred saloon lmsos on a network of services
covering 260 miles of roadway around Tyneside and the county of Durham. The company has made several interesting developments of late, with the result that during the year just ended the Tynemonth fleet covered a total mileage about 50 per cent. greater than that for the preceding 12 months.
The Tynemouth and District Electric. Traction Co., Ltd., has for many years met the transport needs of a number of important coastal townships in the eastern part of Northumberland by the operation of trams, and it only took its initial step in the working of the buses about 'six years ago. The company's tramway routes link up North Shields, the centre of a busy shipping and in
dustrial district, with a chain of seaside resorts, comprising Tynemouth, Cullercoats, Whitley Bay and Monkseaton. Six years ago the need was felt for a means of public transit by road between the Monkseaton tram terminus and Myth, a coal-exporting and shipping town about seven miles to the north, and an experimental motorbus service immediately proved successful. Business has increased with each succeeding year, and the buses now provide a convenient and popular means of transport, particularly in the summer months.
Two years ago it was decided to break further ground by means of buses, and one of the most useful innovations since that time is the lengthening of the original route, so that a through service is now run from Blyth to Wallsend. At the present time the system comprises the following routes :—Wallsend, North -Shields, Whitley Bay and Blyth, 14 miles; Willington Quay, Wallsend, Benton, Forest Hall and Clousden, 10 miles.
These services link up thickly peopled Tyneside and East Northumbrian industrial and residential areas, having a total population running into six figures.
One of the most recent developments is the complete reorganization of the fleet. This, when completed, will see the Tynemouth undertaking equipped with one of the smartest and most efficient collection of vehicles in the north-east. 'Until a short time ago the services were maintained by five 26-seater Daimler pneumatic-tyred saloon buses, but the company now runs six S.O.S. 31-seater pneumatic-tyred vehicltrs built by the Birmingham and Midland Omnibus Co., Ltd. Traffic has increased to such an extent in the course of the past few months that an order has now been placed for a further six S.O.S. vehicles. These are of a later type of construction than the original vehicles, and are provided with luxuriously appointed bodies; each is capable of accommodating 37 passengers. It is expected that delivery of the new buses will be corn
pleted early in the spring, after which it will be possible to effect further developments. The original fleet of Daimlers is to be retained for private-party work, of which there is a fair amount in the summer season, and for emergency purposes.
Part of the scheme of development inchides the erection of a new garage, and this has just been completed at West Chirton, between North Shields and Wallsend. This will house 15 vehicles, and adjoining land, which has also been secured by the company, will permit extensions to be made so that the capacity is doubled. Equipment is provided for dealing with minor repairs, but the nearness of the extensive central repair depot of the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., at Bensham, Gateshead, has enabled the Tynemouth undertaking to effect a big economy in this direction. By an arrangement with the "Northern" Co. all repairs, etc., except those of a minor character, are carried out at Bensham.
By its unswerving practice of maintaining regular and reliable services at all times of the year, the undertaking is building up a big reputation locally. Special morning and evening services are run for the benefit of workmen' and workers' tickets are issued at advantageous rates, both in the shape of daily return tickets and cheap weekly "seasons." Term tickets are also available for schoolchildren and pupils at secondary schools in the district, and in every way the company is laying itself out to serve the public cheaply and well.
That the service is appreciated is demonstrated by the increasing use which is being made of buses running on the routes now established. Whereas in 1925 the total mileage run by the fleet was 256,000, the aggregate for 1926 was 378,000 miles, an increase of 122,000 miles.