London Busmen in the Making
Page 32
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THE famous skid patch at the Chiswick works of London Transport has been replaced by a new training ground, which was formally opened on Monday by Mr. Leslie Burgin, Minister of Transport. During the 12 years of its use, 7,000 bus drivers have graduated on the treacherous surface of grease and soft soap on the skid ground.
With changed road surfaces and traffic conditions, London Transport decided to build a new type of training ground. It consists of a layout of cross-roads, each 30 ft. wide and having a normal camber of 4i ins. The roads have three types of finish—special non-skid, unsanded and sanded asphalt.
The sanded asphalt is used for instruction in the control of dry skids. whilst the unsanded asphalt, which is sprayed with water if necessary, serves to teach drivers to control wet skids. There are removable traffic lights, street refuges and stop posts (to represent would-be passengers) fitted with rubber arms to give unexpected signals.
The new training ground is part of a large replanning and extension scheme at the Chiswick works, which are 32 acres in area and employ 3,500 men. The complete establishment will be the largest of its kind in the world.
The period of instruction of London Transport drivers, who must have had previous experience of driving heavy vehicles, is about five weeks, after which they are placed on three months' probation.
Last year the Board entered 11,846 central bus drivers in the National " Safety First" Competition. Awards were won by 8,635 men.
Some idea of the high standard exacted by the Board in connection with its drivers may be gained from some figures given on Monday by Lord Ashfield. He said that during the past year, 2,556 prospective drivers were interviewed, of whom 41 per cent. were, subject to medical examination, accepted. Of this number, 57 per cent. entered the training school.
Some failed in the test and others during the period of probation, so that out of the 2,556 men interviewed, only 576 became regular drivers.