The Motor Omnibus World.
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Barnsley Discussions.
A correspondent advises us that the Barnsley Trades Council is in favour of motorbuses between Barnsley and Hoyland Common, and that the Barnsley Tramway Company has been .asked to receive a deputation, on the subject, from local residents.
Eastbourne and Electrobuses.
The Motorbus Committee of the Eastbourne Town Council, in presenting its last report, recommended that no inspection should be made of the running and depot management of the London Electrobus Company, " as the ,Committee does not propose to purchase any new buses at present." A motion that this paragraph be struck ,out, and that the Motorbus Committee have power to inspect if deemed desirable, and to negotiate with a London company—whose secretary is Mr. Horace Thornton, of Whitehall House, 29, Charing Cross, W.C.—for an experimental bus to run in Eastbourne, was carried.
Secure Steering Rods.
A Cardiff correspondent writes to us : —" I think that the attachment which I am now submitting to you would be a great improvement to the steering rods on many motorbuses, and that it would add to the safety of the vehicles. When the ball joints have worn very much, the steering rods sometimes shake -loose, and fall to the ground. With -my attachment fitted to them, it would he impossible for the rods to fall off, no matter how much the ball pads may be worn. The attachment consists of two tubes, which are ,slotte.d to fit round the neck of the ball-ended lever; these two tubes, which are marked A and B in the sketch, are slipped over the steering rod, and they are then fastened together with three set screws (C, C, C). The tube A is a tight fit over the tube B, but the latter is very loose on the steering rod, so that it can slide or turn on the rod according to the movement of the ball-ended lever. If the thread on the steering rod is bigger in diameter than the part over which the attachment is fitted, then the tube B must be split, so that it can be sprung over the thread."
This attachment has been
-fitted to all the Cardiff
motorbuses.
The Disappearing Horse Bus. One of the latest horse routes to be abandoned is that between Highgate Archway and London Bridge.
Belfast Developments.
Further to our announcement of the 2nd instant (page 95 ante), the Station Cab Company of that city, whose principal, Mr. A. A. Stringer, is a great believer in motor transport, has now inaugurated a passenger and parcel service between Portaferry and Newtcmcnards, and in other parts of County Down. Three " Commercar " vehicles are to be used, when plans are ready.
The Projected Cricklewood Tube.
We are indebted to a subscriber for a circular in regard to the projected tube from Victoria to Cricklewood. A memorial has been prepared, to the North West London Railway Company, and we are very much inclined to agree with our correspondent that a circular which directs attention to the memorial in question is not free front evidences of prejudice against the motorbus. It is proposed to have stations at Cricklewood, Shoot-up Hill, Brondesbury, Kilburn, Elgin Avenue, St. John's Wood Road, Chapel Street, Marble Arch, Hyde Park Corner and Victoria, with connections to other tube railways, and copies of the memorial have been very extensively circulated. The London Omnibus Owners' Federation will no doubt watch the proceedings in this matter, and will not fail to observe that the organising committee and signatories largely consist of estate agents and surveyors.
A Liquidator's Report, Mr. C. H. Schofield," the receiver of the Scott-Stirling Motor Company, Limited, has issued the report, dated the 27th ultimo, of Mr. John MacLeod, C.A., the liquidator, of Scott, Stirling and, Company, Limited. The accounts show : sundry creditors,'..,22,233 ; claim against the liquidator, by the London Power Omnibus Company for damages, etc., in connection with an alleged breach of contract, ,to,000 ; and estimated assets, £350, from which preferential claims and law expenses of £299 have to be deducted, apart from any provision for the liquidator's outlay. The report reads as follows :— " On the iSth December, 1907, I was appointed by the Court of Session liquidator of the above company. Immediately on my appointment, I applied to the voluntary liquidators and law agents of the company for the books and other documents
in their possession, and these were duly delivered to me under reserva tion of their lien. On receipt of the
books and other documents, I im
mediately set about to make an in vestigation of the affairs of the
company.
"The result of my investigation
showed that the only business of the company, at the date of liquidation, was a carriage-repairing business at Hamilton, carried on in the premises belonging to the company. A valuation of the ground, buildings, machinery, and fixed plant was made for me by Messrs. J. and R. Edmiston, licensed valuators, Glasgow, and on receipt of this I advertised the premises and business for sale as a going concern, but no offers were made therefor. As there are secured debts over the buildings and heritable plant, amounting to more than the valuation, I have abandoned the property to the bondholders. The book debts Clue to the company amount to .4;262 125. 5d., but, as many of these are very doubtful, I do not expect them to realise more than .4;too or thereby.
" The unsecured debts due by the company, as per claims lodged, amount to .422,233 OS. 5d. From an examinatimi of these, I find that the great bulk were for goods supplied to Scott, Stirling and Company, Ltd., Twickenham, in connection with their Twickenham branch. The principal part of the company's business was carried on at Twickenham, in leasehold premises belonging to the company, but, in August, 1907, an agreement was entered into for the sale of the business premises and assets connected with the Twickenham branch to another company, called the Scott-Stirling Motor Co., Ltd. The consideration payable to Scott, Stirling and Co., Ltd., was 35,000 ordinary shares of Li each, fully paid, in the Scott-Stirling Motor Co., Ltd., and an obligation by that company to discharge the debts of Scott, 'Stirling and Co., Ltd., connected with the Twickenham branch, as at date of transfer, viz. yth August, 1907. The shares were duly allotted to Scott, Stirling and Co., Ltd., but the obligation to pay the debts has to a large extent not been fulfilled, leaving a liability on Scott, Stirling and Co., Ltd., in respect of which claims have been lodged (in liquidation) and included in the above „722,233.
" After my appointment I proceeded to Twickenham, to investigate matters there, and to see what arrangements could be made for having the obligation to Scott, Stirling and Co., Ltd., fulfilled. I ascertained that a floating debenture over that company's assets for -43,500 had been created, and that there was little hope of recovering anything from that company, unless I could get its directors to pay me a sum by way of compromise, which I considered would he better for the creditors of Scott, Stirling and Co., Ltd., than put the Scott-Stirling Motor Co., Ltd., in liquidation. I have now heard that they are unable to do so, and I am taking steps to put that company into liqui dation. Meantime, notice has been given me that the High Court of Justice has appointed a receiver and manager on the estates of the Scott-Stirling Motor Co., Ltd. At present, I cannot see any probability of anything being recovered, and I am unable to hold out any hope of a dividend." In Aberdeenshire.
We are advised by the General Manager of the Great North of Scotland Railway Company that the matter of a motor omnibus service between Turriff and Strichen still remains in abeyance. We presume that the matter of exemption from claims by the road authorities has not yet been settled.
Municipal Powers.
The importance of the powers which Widnes Corporation is about to secure (see report on page 183) lies in the fact that there is no precedent for authority to run such vehicles outside the boundaries of the applying council. Before the present borrowing powers (7,000) can be extended, the corporation may be required to prove that the services are paying.
The Horse Bus Debacle.
The Associated Omnibus Company, Limited, had a bad time during the half year ended the 31st December last, although no motorbuses were in service. The fact that so large a debit balance as ,4;12,500 has been shown, with only horse vehicles in use, indicates that the ownership of motorbuses does not entirely explain the period of stress through which London passenger-carrying companies are passing.
A Projected Welsh Service.
Further to our previous announcements on the subject, we understand that the Bangor City Council, acting in conjunction with various local authorities in Anglesey, expects to prevail upon the directors of the London and North Western Railway Company to inaugurate a motorbus service between Llangaffo and Bangor. Considerable dissatisfaction appears to exist as to the manner in which the ferry services across the Menai Straits are conducted.
Electric Tramway Studs.
Adverting to the paragraph which appeared in our issue of the 5th March (page 578), we note that the Swindon and Mexborough Council has complained about the danger arising from the live studs in the Dotter system between Rotherham and ,Mexboroug-h.
Tramways and Snow Removal.
An interesting decision, and one which may have its applications to motorbus undertakings, was recently given by His Honour Judge Roberts at the Brentford County Court. The Acton Urban District Council sought to recover the sum of Las from the London United Tramways Company, Limited, in respect of the cost of removal of snow from the main road through Acton, along a certain length of the defendant company's double line of tram rails. The cause of action arose in December, 1906, when there was a heavy fall of snow, and the tramway company used its snow plough to clear the tracks, whereby the snow was thrown into heaps on each side of the road. In consequence of this obstruction, the Acton District Council had cleared the snow from the two sides.
The defendant company submitted, through counsel, that it was not incumbent upon it to remove the snow, and that any claim on the ground of nuisance was not in order, as there was no evidence to show that notice to abate had been neglected.
His Honour, in giving judgment, held that section 28 of the Tramways Act of 1870 only required that "good and proper repair of the track " should be shown. He held that the duty of scavenging the whole road fell upon the local authority, and that there was no duty resting on the tramway company to remove snow, or to correct any slippery state of the track consequent upon a fall of snow. The company, however, had in this case exceeded its rights, and had caused an obstruction, and he thought the action properly brought, any question of prior notice not applying. He gave judgment for 4'25, with costs on the higher scale.
A Matter of Colour.
Our readers will all be familiar with the method adopted by the London Road Car Company to distinguish the various routes by painting the name" Union Jack" on a label of a particular colour. It is a good thing that distinguishing letters are also displayed, and that the public are not to depend on these labels alone, as careful examination by a spectroscope has revealed that the new " P " route has a pink label, which we inadvertently described as yellow a fortnight ago.
Pre-arranged Departures.
Certain services of the Vanguard Motorbus Company, Limited (Nos. to and t), are running in friendly competition with certain other services of the Great Eastern London Motor Omnibus Company. Both companies use the same termini, and the vehicles are dispatched at selected intervals, so that no racing can take place, and the routes are served by the two companies' omnibuses as though only one service were in operation. Each company, however, gets its own takings, and no pooling arrangement exists.
Double-purpose Platforms.
The accompanying illustration, although of a passenger coach for use on rails, is of peculiar interest by reason of the special manner in which the rear platform has been sub-divided so as to avoid conflict between incoming and outgoing streams of passengers. It is extremely doubtful whether any arrangement of this kind can be introduced for London use, owing to considerations of platform space, but we publish the illustration as one which may possess more than passing interest for managers of other omnibus undertakings, both at home and abroad. Widnes Motorbus Clauses Approved.
At the House of Commons on Tues day, the 7th instant, the Police and Sanitary Committee considered the 13i11 promoted by the Widnes Corporation, .containing provisions to empower that _authority to provide, maintain, and run motor omnibuses within the Borough of Widnes and surrounding districts, such as Ditton, Cronton, Rainhill, Bold and Cuerdley, and to authorise that the Corporation and any other authority having jurisdiction in any area affected may carry into effect contracts and .agreements with reference to the running of omnibuses into or through such .area. There was no opposition to the proposals of the Corporation, and, after hearing expert and other evidence, the 'Committee gave the necessary powers for the municipal running of motorbuses.
Mr. Wedderburn, K.C., for the pro moters, explained that Widnes had no tramways, nor were there any omnibuses, although experiments had recently been carried out with motorbuses by private enterprise. The Corporation proposed to have six motorbuses, five to ✓ un and one to be kept in reserve, for
u se within and ow:side the Borough. A number of townships outside the Borough boundary were practically part of Widnes, and it was desirable that there should be closer communication between them. Counsel pointed .out that trams were not suitable to the district, whereas the roads were very well suited to omnibuses, being level, and therefore the omnibuses could be run cheaply. The Corporation had not now any opposition from the railway companies, probably because the latter recognised that the motorbuses would act as feeders to their lines, and the promoters would be able to show that there was no fear of any charge upon the rates being involved.
Alderman IL Wade Deacon, J.P., who said that practically throughout his life he had been associated with Widnes, pointed out that the district was a very scattered one, and emphasii,ied the great advantages which a -motorbus service would offer, there being no means of communication, unless one drove, in Widnes at the present
time. He thought the buses would greatly assist in the future development of the northern part of the Borough, and that there should be travelling facilities, such as were proposed, between the working and residential neighbourhoods, and also means of communication for the many people who CaMC over from the area beyond the Transporter Bridge, at the south of the Borough, in the erection of which the Widnes Corporation mid Out L:25,000.
Mr. S. Sellon, M.Inst.C.E., who deposed to having had long experience in regard to tramway, light railway and omnibus matters, said that the roads in the district in question were of suffi-cient width for motor omnibuses, and
well adapted for the purpose. He -thought that means of communication were essential, and that a service of uomnibuses would confer an enormous benefit, but the requirements would not be adequately met unless powers for the running were extended to the adjoining townships, in addition to afilecting the Borough itself. In regard to the proposed service from Widnes to Rainhill, witness pointed out how great would be the advantage, instead of people having to travel by railway via Liverpool, or via St. Helens, that they should be able to go direct by omnibus in much less time, and at much less cost. He (lid not think any specified routes in the Bill would be of any value. Which were the best routes, he thought, should be found out by practice. By the possession of six buses, keeping one of them in reserve, there would be a reasonable service, and he considered that there should be an average twenty-minute service for the whole district. The takings during the running of the two experimental buses mentioned had been as much as is. 3ld.
per bus-mile. He estimated, for a twenty-minute service, the taldngs would amount to is. per bus-mile, which, he said was the general average of .motorbus takings. In London, he observed, in reply to questions, the average was about id., but he explained that whereas a two or threeminute service would only make about mad., a twenty-minute service would probably make in takings 2s. per busmile. In connection with the success of the experiments carried out at Widnes, witness was asked his opinion as to why private capital was not forthcoming. He said that at present, he thought, while manufacturers were prepared to supply motor omnibuses, and more or less to give some guarantee as to their working expenditure, they were not prepared to launch into finance. He also mentioned that, owing to certain circumstances, motor-omnibus enterprise had not been very successful in some places. Taking the
service which he had estimated for the Widnes system, and the takings per bus-mile at is., the number of busmiles to be run would be 170,000, and the earning rapacity for the year of five buses would be £8,500. He estimated working expenses at old. per bus-mile, which was a good sum to allow according to his experience. There was a good deal of criticism abroad as to what the running of a motorbus did cost, but he had himself very largely used them for feeders in litany different parts of the country, and that was the figure at which he generally found the cost worked out. He was not prepared to say that old. covered complete depreciation ; he did not think it did, but old., plus sinking fund, assuming the life of a car to be live years, would be very ample, and he estimated a profit of 4:502 per annum. In reference to the problem of depreciation, witness explained that buses were now coming into the market showing a very mueh better life, and involving less working expenditure. He mentioned that he had been practising with buses having a combination of petrol and electric power, and with electric power, in which cases depreciation was much less than in the case of ordinary petrol buses.
Other evidence haying been given, deposing to the financial success of the experiments which had been carried out by gentlemen in Widnes, and the desire of inhabitants to have the use of motorbuses, the Chairman (Mr. Corrie Grant) announced that the Committee considered that there were very exceptional circumstances in this case, in which the railways ran across the town. There was no opposition, and the proposals of the promoters were very strongly supported. ln these circumstances, the Committee granted the powers asked for, without making the case a precedent for the future.