Correspondence.
Page 14
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Ventilation at Olympia.
The Editor, " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—At the dose of the motor show, held at Olympia in November last, there was a wave of complaint and apparent discontent at the ventilation of Olympia, which found publicity chiefly in the trade papers. I followed all the correspondence on the subject very carefully, and have filed it for the sake of reference. I have, however, waited until now, when the thoughts of the motor world are beginning to turn once more to Olympia for the Commercial Motor Exhibition, as the most opportune moment at which to make some reply on behalf of Olympia. I would like to point out to those who blame Olympia for the oppressive atmosphere that, although the building is occupied throughout the whole year by successive exhibitions and shows, the motor show is the only occasion on which this complaint is raised. It is a case of " You cannot eat your cake and still have it." The motor exhibitors effectually stop up all ventilation from the foundations by almost entirely covering the floor with platforms, and in addition they burn enough electric light to illuminate a small city.
During the motor show all the windows and ventilators in the roof are kept open, and on other occasions these provide more than ample ventilation. Let the exhibitors remember that they spend more than a minute for light, and they will then realise the enormous heat that is given off. No one for a moment wants to see this picturesque side of the exhibition disappear, but it is unfair to blame Olympia for the consequences. Hoping you will find space to give this publicity—Yours truly, W. D. NIXON, Press Manager of Olympia.
14, Great Swan Alley, Moorgate Street, E.G.
Stratford and Seven Kings Motorbus Service.
The Editor, " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—I can give you further particulars of the new motorbus service at Ilford, which may be of interest to your readers.
Last week you mentioned that 30 new Arrol-johnsten buses would soon be running, and the vehicles on this route are of that make. The bodies were built by E. and H. Hora, Ltd., of London, and the vehicles are lighted by electricity. The destination is very prominently shown by the electrically-lighted, panorama, destination indicators made by the Acme Company, of Highbury, London, N.
One of the advantages of running out of the Metropolitan Police area is that which you mentioned last week as being denied to London operating companies—viz., standing is allowed. The competition now existing is distasteful to the various local councils concerned, as the buses fill well, whilst the decrease in municipal tramway passengers is very notice
able and will probably awaken the authorities from their golden dream of monopoly. Before the advent of the Ilford trams the Great Eastern London Motor Bus Co., Ltd., owned the horsed buses which covered the same route as the motors of to-day. Ten buses are now employed which gives a six-minute service each way, the services being timed to run between the Ilford tramway cars' six-minute service, so that those who were formerly inconvenienced by waiting now use the motorbuses.
One of the local papers has the startling announcement :— " Motor Buses v. Trams. Alarming Competition." On Sunday, Vanguards were running between Leytonstone and Aldg-ate With temporary destination boards displayed ; this tends to show that it is for a Sunday service only.—Yours
faithfully, HERBERT C. WIN 121, Tufnell Park Road, Holloway, N. 8th February, 1908.
The Difficult Problem of
Route Indication 1ri-7. Motorbuses.
The Editor, " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—Your excellent leader on p. 48:; ante gave me much pleasure, and I am delighted to hear, at there is a prospect of having the alphabetic& . _led in London. I sincerely trust that it will have a proper and fair trial on the fronts of the buses, since only in this position will there be time to find easily the destination required as the bus approaches, and then easily and comfortably catch the same before it passes: An alternative position is on the side of the bus. As I pointed out in my article on p. 136 (Vol. V), the side of a passing motorbus comes into view for three to five seconds only before it passes which gives ample time to the would-be passenger to take Mr. Punch's witty and wise advice : " Do not run after a motor omnibus; you are sure to lose."
I trust also that the trial will last for a sufficient number of weeks or months to give people an opportunity of appreciating the scheme. People are so conservative—like the old lady who objected contemptuously to the new pure water supply, because it had no taste.
It would also be desirable to give an opportunity of judging of its merits to the strangers who flock into "town" later on, since these sojourners would appreciate the improvement more than Londoners who know their buses by the old-fashioned marks and colours. There would be little objection to these, if they pleased the conservative taste, and did not interfere with the front of the vehicle as the place for the alphabetical index. I think your suggestion of a list of names in geographical sequence inside the vehicle is a very happy one. There it could be studied with advantage and comfort, besides often saving the time of the con ductor.---Yours faithfully, J. BROWN. Lon gh urst , Belfast.