From "London General" to "Brussels General."
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lb was with considerable pleasure that we were enabled to announce, two weeks ago, the official appointment to the, management of a new motorbus company which is, in the first instance, to operate in Brussels, of an engineer who has, during the past two years, acted as assistant engineer to the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd. Mr. G. A. Green, who has been Mr. Frank Searle's invaluable " chief of the staff " throughout the latter part. of the stressful times from whieh London's premier omnibus company is now steadily emerging, has been selected for this important post. In view of the fact that the L.G.O. Co., Ltd., is bound to feel the loss of so energetic a member of its personnel, Mr. Frank Searle, the chief engineer of the company, was asked to express sonic opinion with regard to this impending change on his staff. He courteously received a representative of Tue Coremmtcetr. OTOR for this purpose. In reply to the questions with which he was plied, Mr. Searle said : " f can only say that I shall miss Mr. Green and his whole-hearted assistance very greatly. The company is lasing a most-capable member of its staff. I do not think there is an individual in London who has a more-intimate grip of all the difficulties of motorbus operation in London than Mr. Green. While he was works manager at the Walthamstow factory of the company, he proved his ability as organizer, and this was afterwards substantiated during his association with the running department.
" Although T am losing a valuable assistant, I feel, however, that Mr. Green is consulting his best interests, as he is seeking further experience." At a subsequent interview with the new chief-engineer of the Brussels Co., it was sought to ascertain Mr. Green's general impressions of several of the more-important aspects of motor-omnibus operation at the present time. Ho very readily gave his opinions to us, and they should be of eonsiderable interest to all who realize that these are the result of hard schooling in the most exacting of services. We learnt that, in Brussels, tramway compstition is even more severe than it is here in London. The Ryknield motorbus chassis, whieh the Brussels Co. is to nperate, will be used with single-deck bodies, each of which, however, will seat about 28 passengers. It will. therefore, be seen that it will require the most-careful and most-economical organization to ensure the working of the new motor services at a profit, in view of the keen competition with which they will have to engage. Mr. Green is insistent in his opinion that. in the long run, motorbus systems will beat tramway installations entirely on the question of cost.
" The first few years." Mr. Green said, 0 of a tramway's life are incon iSI cc, fro ,111 the fact that most tramway-operating authorities make little or no provision for the proper depreeiathin of track and other equipment.
" A certain aspect of motorbus operation whit+, perhaps, is not wholly appreciated, by many who are otherwise well informed on such matters," continuel Brussels' new officer, " is that there is not an enormous differ ence between the costs of maintenance of a comparatively-poor design of chassis and of one which is a 'top notcher ' in the matter of design and material. I think it would be safe to say that not more than 25 per cent. separates the labour and material ' costs of the best and worst chassis in this respect. It is on the question of fuel consuniption, probably, that more hinges than on any other cost factor."
Asked for a general indication of his preference in the matter of motorbus design, Mr. Green remarked : " It is, of course, impossible for me to sketch a complete machine for you on the present occasion. I. however, have no objection to your recording my own individual preference for certain meehanical features whatever that may be worth!
" Speaking generally, I am not in favour of steam, eleetric or petrolelectric systems, so far, at least, as present developments have gone in those directions. I am a strong advocate of a suitable combination of a worm-driven back axle, a light, highspeed type of engine, and a chaindrive gearbox.
" Steel road wheels, mounted on Timken roller bearings, pressed-steel casings for gearboxes and back-axle casings, a. change-speed gearbox with chain gears. a plain amply-proportioned cone clutch lined with Ferodo —than which, for clutches and brake linings, I know of nothing better, plain-tube radiators. thermo-syphon
cooling, and a wooden frame with ditch-plates. Personally, I see no necessity for the provision of either radius rods or torque bars.
" These are the principal characteristics of what I should consider to be an ideal chassis for most classes of work in thickly-populated districts. Broadly speaking, I favour the design of chassis represented by the new L.G.O.C. " X-type " machine. " Yes, of course. I object to speed
alarms, as also to speed limits. I would abolish these without a, second thought, and in their place I would institute punishment for driving to the danger of the public, and this should be of such a nature as to be an absolute deterrent.
"
You want my opinion as to the possibility of new companies' coining on the scene in London? I do not think this is a likely probability in the near future. I feel certain that few manufacturers, with the exception of those who have suffered severely as the result of actual bitter experience, realize the exceptional difficulties with which they have to contend in their endeavours to pass a new type before Scotland Yard. I think, however, that the police licensing authorities, as a whole, have done a great deal to further the use of commercial vehicles, although at. one time they used to be regarded as the avowed enemies of operating companies. Nine times out of ten, stop notices are justified, and, personally, I regard the C.O. inspectors as unattached members of the staffs of the operating companies. Were their inspections to cease, other officials of the same class would have to he employed by the chief engineers." Asked, in conclusion, whether in his extensive experience of London drivers, he was of opinion that they had improved in type, Mr. Green emphatically answered in the affirmative. " T am not an advocate," he added, " of a fool-proof machine, but rather of the employment of drivers who are not fools," Finally, Mr. Green informed us that, at the commencement of his negotiations with the Board of his new company, the directors were of opinion that motorbus operation was an easy job. He thinks that their opinions are not now so pronounced in this direction and that they realize that something more than " a man to turn the handle " is required. " Brussels," Ice added, "is hilly, and the roads are mostly rough. but the Ryknield chassis are strongly built, and they should be capable of standing up to the strain. There is sure to he a great deal of trouble to begin with ; this is only to he expected. I, however, must ask you to let the results which I hope to achieve speak for themselves, rather than to request me to indulge in any prophecies just now."