BRADFORD RAILLESS CAR COSTS..
Page 9
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The Experience of the Corporation Tramways Department
DETALLS Of a double-decker trackleeS trolley..vehiele,. with covered top. which is being made by the Bradford Corporation Tramways Department to the designs of Mr. R. H. Wilkinson (the. general manager), have been given by Mr. Wilkinson in an interview.
The Ministry of Transport granted per- mission for the use of the vehicle, which will be put into service eiperimentally. It will have aecoinmodation for 51 passengers and will be driven by one tramcar motor of standard design mounted on a solid tramway axle Mr. Wilkineon secs possibilities of a considerable extension of the pritkiple of raillese electric traction.
Although the vehicles had been in use in this country for nine years attempts to improve their design had been • hampered by the weight restriction of five tons and the uncertainty of the amounts they were called upon to contribute for road adaptation and maintenance, he says: The weight redeetion caused vehiclesetei be made of ..materials much too light to withstand the. wear and tear of service,-and this caused inareaeed working expenses and breakdowns.
Mr. Wilkinion contended that by in oreasing the seating capacity of the. raillets ear Lon) 29 to 51, and running it on busier routes, and over the usuaLtraera ear gradientsof the city the working expenses, exclusive of interest and sinking fund charges would probably be equal to these of the tra,mcer. Supposing the
trackless vehicle e to exceed those of the tramcar by 241. per mileen increase of 6d on present -mince& ear rates —the rainless vc:hiclee would, still .beethe More econorniml.
The cost of the tramways for one mile
of route, including overhead equipmeat and double line, was_ 254,000,. as compared with ...l4,500 fen' the railless service. The oust per ear mire for a five minutes' service on the tramways would_ be 6.47d. and 160000. miles would be covered in one yearn The corresponding cost of the Tailless eystein would be 3.89d. _ Mr. Wilkineontaelnii4edethat ea:aloes cars might not be quite so comfortable to ride in as teen-mars, provided the tramWay permanent way was kept in good condition, and there was some -doubt as to the.. greater liability to accident, especially when descending steep gradients. Endless cars were liable to skid on snow, and, not having a defined track, were more likely to collide with other vehicles in foggy we.ather.
On the other hand, they posseseeel cer tain advantages over trenwaes. If a
vehicle broke.Aown it did not interfere, car cause delay to the other vehicles in the service... They-. could draw closer to the. sidewalk" far eouvenience of. loading and. unloading. They made considerably loss noiseand offered. greater.. facilities for inter-running.
Giving details of the vehicle, which
will run with power obtained direct from the trolley wires; Or from batteries when away from the overhead equipment, Mr. Wilkinson. said. this car carried tons, and 1ts working expenses, last year, excliueive of road charge, amounted to 18.741. per car mile, or 7s, 6d.per hour. This vehicle has -been running between Bradford and Leeds, a distance of nine miles, for the part 18 menthe, and since last Octraw had made two trips per day,.