Stockport Bus Returns.
Page 39
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
According to the recently issued report of the tramways department of Stockport Corporation for the year ended March 31st last, the municipal buses were operated at a loss of 1840, income having totalled £69,043 and expenditure £69,883, including 19,714 for depreciation. On a per-bus-mile basis, income averaged 11-573d. and expenditure 11.714d. In March last the corporation was operating a fleet of 55 buses, made up of 31 Leylands, 18 A.E.C.s and six Crossleys, all of them being single-deckers.
A "North Western" Acquisition.
SPA Motor Services, South Parade, Matlock Bath, which for the past 19 years have been operated by E. Williams and Co., Ltd., in the Matlock, Wirksworth and Ashbourne districts of Derbyshire, have been taken over by the North Western Road Car Co., Ltd.
Case-hardening in the Garage.
The Cassel Cyanide Co., Ltd., Oldbury, near Birmingham, has introduced a bench-type furnace by means of which small parts can be case-hardened in a• few minutes and at low cost. Gearwheels, nuts, bolts, etc., can be handled by this appliance, which requires only a small space for installation. Cassel cyanide case-hardening is said to avoid flaking and distortion.
N.Z. Favours British Vehicles.
Last August New Zealand imported 43 commercial vehicles, bringing up the total for the first eight months of the year to 463 units, valued at 171,044. The total consists of 59 complete vans, lorries and buses (16,540) and 404 chassis (164,504).
Of the complete vehicles Canada led with 32 (12,823), followed by Great Britain with 25 (13,124). As regards chassis America was at the head of the list with 150 vehicles (120,938), followed by the United Kingdom with 134 (132,445) and Canada 119 (£10,849).
An Efficient Trailer Brake.
Modifications have been made recently in the design of the Warben trailer brake. The device was described in The Commercial Motor on June 24th, 1930, since when the method of releasing the brake has been improved. Previously this was by means of a hook on the lever, but now the brake is released by raising the knob of the lever.
The Warben trailer-brake gear, which is manufactured by the East London Engineering Works, _Ltd., 486, High Road, Leytonstone, London, E.11, is now quicker and more convenient to cperate and permits braking by fine degrees. The device is moderately priced at £7 10s.
East Kent Road Car Co.'s Report.
The report of the East Kent Road Car Co., Ltd., for the year ended September 30th, 1931, shows that, after making provision for depreciation (170,000), there is a profit of £28,112, to which has to be added £13,163 brought forward from the previous year. Of the total, the general reserve receives an allocation of 11,000 and a dividend at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum on 350,000 ordinary shares will account for 121,000, whilst the dividend on the preference shares absorbs £13,000; the balance to
be carried forward is thus 16,275.
The undertaking was seriously affected during the past holiday season by the bad weather experienced on the southeast coast. The receipts were also impaired by the continuance of certain unduly low rates and other special fares which were forced upon the company by what is termed in the report " excessive unregulated competition of an unusual character." Mirrors for Bus Conductors.
London bus conductors will be able to watch passengers on both decks at the same time by means of mirrors that are being fitted half-way up the straight staircases of the new L.G.O.C. buses. When the conductor is standing on the platform he is able to watch the movements of passengers on the upper deck, and can anticipate a passenger's intention to leave the bus.