Motorbus World.
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News contributions are invited : thlyment be made an tublication, The gentleman responsible for the intended service of motorbuses in the neighbourhood of Fisliguard is reported to be Mr. Herbert Birch.
The New Notice to London Proprietors.
It is astonishing how many daily papers have given publicity to the statement that the new regulations limit the number of passengers upon a London motorbus to 30. This is not necessarily the case. Some additional notes will be found on page '23 of this issue.
Derby-Ashbourne.
In our issue of the 26th ult., there appeared a paragraph to the effect that a motor service was needed between Derby and Ashbourne. Now, in less than three weeks, we learn that as the result of its perusal, everything has been arranged by Commercial Car Hirers, Ltd., of Cambridge Circus, W.C., and that the service started this week. "No sooner said than done " might well be adopted as the motto of this company, which has put on the road a " Commer Car" charii-banes. Commenting upon the departure, "The Derby Daily Telegraph " of the lgth inst. writes :-" A representative of a London firm, whose attention was called to the matter, came down to Derby last week, and satisfied himself that here at all events was a very likely field for a remunerative service. Having made up his mind on this point, he has made representations to his firm in London, which have led them to take prompt and almost dramatic action. At any rate, they have decided to put a motor char-k-bancs on the road, which will commence running on Tuesday next and will perform the double lour
ney between Derby and Ashbourne three times in the day—morning, midday, and afternoon. The single and return fares will he cheaper than by the railway, and the time occupied on the single journey will be about an hour. On Sundays and Wednesdays, the service will be suspended, and on those days the char-aebancs will be available for long-distance trips to Chatsworth, Haddon, Dovedale, or Buxton. We trust, however, that the boon to be conferred on the district will be so widely appreciated that the promoters of the service will find it
expedient to continue it on Wednesdays as well as on other days of the week. For the winter months, there would—if the patronage offered attained expectations—be a covered bus, the char-it-banes being resorted to when the summer comes round again.
" It now only rests with the people of the two towns, as well as of the villages on the route, to show their appreciation of the new service. After 60 years agitation, they have got a cheap and ready means of communication, which may not be as good as a direct line of railway, but which at any rate is a very effective and welcome substitute. We shall be greatly mistaken if the facilities offered do not arouse enthusiasm all along the Ashbourne Road."
; Chars-a-hancs in Scotland.
We are told there has been quite a boom this year in the demand for motor chars-h-bancs throughout Scotland, which advice is in accordance with our forecasts of three years ago. The demand for motor chars-h-hancs must grow in all centres where touring facilities are required. The question generally is, how can the horsecoach proprietor put up the necessary money, but it is not all of these men who are short of that useful commodity. The Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., of Scotstoun, Glasgow, is doing its full share of this trade, and we illustrate a typical 16 h.p. Albion char-k-bancs, which was supplied, through Messrs. W. Raikes Bell and Co., motor agents, of Dundee, a few weeks ago, to the Forfarshire Motor Vehicle Co., which concern now owns three motor chars-a-banes.
We hear excellent reports of the L.S.W.R. Co.'s Chagford-Exeter service of single-deck Thornycroft motorbus service.
In Russia.
Dr. E. E. Lehwess, of the Electrobus Company, is in Russia, which recalls his visit with the old Panhard " Passe Poi-tout," with a small Argyll car in attendance, some six years ago. On that occasion, he endeavoured to drive across Russia to Siberia, but had to abandon the heavy omnibus for its later rescue by Mr. Friswell.
Single-deck " Commer Cara."
We illustrate, opposite, a 3i-ton " Commer Car" chassis fitted with a single-deck passenger body. The vehicle is running a service between Leagrave and Luton, and appears to fill a definite want. The inhabitants of the Leagrave district are now brought into quick communication with the Luton tramways service, and the latter undertaking is reaping the benefit of through bookings. Although the present service is in the nature of a trial, we expect to hear shortly that it has been put on a permanent basis.
The Importance of the Motorbus.
We are in receipt of the September issue of the ingenious guide to Lon don, known as "To and Fro." We thought it of interest to notice the first number of this publication at considerable length in our columns on 13th May last. On that occasion, we welcomed its appearance as " the first attempt properly to educate the public to employ to the best advantage the motorbus in its capacity as a valuable component of London's complex public-passenger-service system." We concluded our notice with a statement that "Revision monthly will be a vital necessity . . . while the omnibus companies have not reached finality in the matter of their routes." In an introductory note to the September issue of this useful guide, we read innumerable route changes have been made since the appearance of the August issue . . . due to alterations and extensions of the motor 'bus routes. Careful calculation shows that of the 242 pages comprising the Route Directory there are in the present number only 21 containing no alteration." Could any statement more conclusively demonstrate the important status of the motorbus amongst London's passenger-carrying systems. Since its first appearance, already no fewer than 50,000 copies of "To and Fro" have been put into circulation, and there is a big demand, in all parts of the Provinces.