Women Driving Double-deck Trolleybuses
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THERE was a note recently in your journal to the effect that there is only one woman in Great Britain dill driving a double-deck bus. During the war there was, of course, a fair number of women drivers engaged by the Portsmouth Corporation Transport Department, both on double-deck oil-engined buses and trolleybuses —in fact, there were several all-woman crews. Even now, to my knowledge, there are at least three women trolleybus drivers employed by the corporation mentioned.
It surprises some of our visitors when a trolleybus pulls up and they observe a woman driver and a male conductor. I wonder if there be any other corporation transport departments in Great Britain which retain the services of women drivers?
I think a little praise, which is really overdue, has been earned by these women, who have done an excellent job of work in keeping the wheels turning. It is my opinion that one who can do eight hours behind the steering wheel of a trolleybus in an over-crowded city like " Pompey " should have a medal as big as her bus. I would like to add that these women drivers of ours are not youngsters, the silver threads are showing amongst the gold, but they certainly can drive trolleybuses.
Portsmouth. G. PRIOR.
KK17629.
OPERATING A PRIVATE-HIRE CAR T HAVE recently purchased a Daimler 20 h.p. car I which I am using on private hire, and would appreciate any information you can supply in respect of running costs, charges, private-hire regulations, etc. I
propose doing some long-distance work. S.R.D. Stoke-on-Trent.
[You should charge for the use of your car not less than Is. 6d. per mile for local work and Is. 3d. per mile for journey work, plus 6s. per hour for waiting time. There are not many restrictions on the use of cars for private hire, but the most important to bear in mind is that you may not "ply for hire," that is to say, you may not pick up a fare in the streets or at railway stations in the same way as may a taxicab. Your vehicle must in all cases be privately hired from the address from which you conduct your business. The fare booked may, of
course, be picked up at any address or any convenient meeting place.
You should note that if you pay only the hackneycarriage licence for your car, you may not use it for your own private purposes, but if you pay the full privatecar licence you may use it in this way, as well as for hire.
You should, furthermore, be very careful to sec that your insurance policy covers the use of the car for private hire.—S.T.R.]
WHICH TYPE TO CHOOSE?
MAY we seek your advice in the choice of wagon "I most suitable for journeys to London on a C hiring allowance with 6-ton or 12-ton loads from Sandbach to London; one delivery of 6 tons, three of 12 tons?
We had in mind one of the following: six-wheeler rigid; six-wheeler articulated; 6-ton petrol wagon.
Could you also give us some idea of the rate for this type of work?
Sandtach. T.G.
[In my view the most suitable vehicle for the work you have in mind is the six-wheeled, rid-type, oil-engined 12tonner. The principal difficulty I foresee in connection with an agreement on rates and charges is that you will sometimes be using this vehicle only half loaded, but in the circumstances I do not see how That can be helped. My advice is that you should enter into a contract on a mileage basis at the rate of Is. 3d per mile minimum—more if you can get it. This charge does not include driver's wages, which, as no doubt you are aware, must be paid by your customer if you are operating under a C hiring margin. You should in any event stipulate a minimum mileage per annum to which the above rates apply, and I suggest that 35,000 should be the figure adopted.—S.T.R.] OUR TECHNICAL STAFF BLUSHES MAY 1 take this opportunity of thanking you and, indeed, complimenting you, on the presentation of an article entitled " New Technique in Strain Recording," published in your issue dated May 11? It is very gratifying to read a concise presentation of such a technically difficult subject, and from such an article to be able to comprehend the basic function of an apparatus. I think that you have done extremely well R. BAGOT, Publicity Manager.
Barkingside. (For Kelvin and Hughes, Ltd.) EDINBURGH, for the past four days, has been the venue of the 29th International Congress of the International Union of Public Transport. Closing to-day, the congress, held every two years, has been distinguished by the high quality of the three papers which were presented.
FARE collection being perhaps the primary occupation of operators, it was fitting that the first paper should deal with this subject. Presented by two French engineers, A. Laparre, chief engineer of the Algerian Tramway Co., and M. Cassan, director of the Cie. OuestElectrique (Le Mans line), the paper was entitled, " Fare Systems and Fare Collection." A comparative analysis was made of the various systems employed all over the world, dealing also with ticketissuing machines and vehicle layout to facilitate fare collection.
HIGHLY controversial points were raised by M. Paribeni, engineer to the Federazione Nazionale Imprese Transporti (Fenit), Rome, whose paper, "Power Transmission from Engine to 'Wheels in Motorbuses," was compiled in collaboration with V. Leuzzi, of Rome University.
KNOWN shortcomings of the internal combustion engine — its limited range of torque, for instance—made it necessary, they said, to seek a system of transmission that would allow a fixed torque to be held, with variations in tractive resistance within the range encountered in passengervehicle operation. It might be expedient to aim at over-sized engines in which the torque decreased with a rise in revolutions. Again, the supercharged unit, having a variable feed pressure, might be the solution. It was their hope that the gas turbine would be developed.
PASSING from detailed to general considerations, E. R. L. Fitzpayne, general manager of Glasgow Transport Department, discussed in his paper, "Urban Transport and City Planning," the relation between the transport of passengers in urban areas and their accommodation in modern towns and cities. The control of city transport by municipal authority, increased use of electric traction, particularly in the form of reserved-track tramways employing high-capacity, single-deck cars with trailers, were points stressed by him.
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DN Wednesday, the Torquay Conference of the Institute of Transport was opened by the president, Mr. J. S. Wills. After a civic welcome by the Mayor, Sir William Wood, K.B.E., M.Inst.T., pastpresident and a member of the British Transport Commission, read his paper, "Transport Efficiency and Levels of Charges." This dealt mainly with railway matters, but referred to the replacement of branch lines and stations by road transport from the points of view of flexibility and economy. YESTERDAY, Mr. David Renton, M.P., gave his paper, "Parliamentary Control of Nationalized Transport." In this he showed how little supervision Parliament was now able to exercise over the administration and actions of the B.T.C. He made out a strong case for a higher degree of control by making the Minister of Transport responsible for answering questions concerning the B.T.C.
TO-DAY there are to be visits in Exeter and a reception by the Mayor of that city.